movies-outdoor
Brooklyn Bridge Park (photo: Etienne Frossard via)

2018 free outdoor summer movies in NYC (Bryant Park, Brooklyn Bridge Park, The Intrepid, Coney Island & more)

Brooklyn Bridge Park (photo: Etienne Frossard via)
Brooklyn Bridge Park (photo: Etienne Frossard via)

It’s summer in NYC which means a lot of things but, in the case of this post, it means free outdoor movies in parks and other public places. We’ve already posted about SummerScreen in Williamsburg’s McCarren Park and Nitehawk’s series in Prospect Park, and here’s a roundup of other free outdoor movies to fill your summer nights (we’ll tell you more).

One of the longest running series happens in Bryant Park and this year the Movie Night series curated by Vulture and runs Wednesdays from June 18 through August 20. Here’s the lineup of films:

  • June 18: The Breakfast Club
  • June 25: The Philadelphia Story
  • July 2: A League of Their Own
  • July 9: Little Miss Sunshine
  • July 16: Fried Green Tomatoes
  • July 23: The Princess Bride
  • July 30: When Harry Met Sally…
  • August 6: The Wiz
  • August 13: Thelma and Louise
  • August 20: The Terminator

The Lawn at Bryant Park opens at 5 PM with the movies starting at sundown. More info is here.

Another popular series is Brooklyn Bridge Park’s “Movies with a View” which runs July 12 through August 30:

  • Jul 12 Desperately Seeking Susan
  • Jul 19 Kung Fu Panda 2
  • Jul 26 Paris Is Burning
  • Aug 2 Bend It Like Beckham
  • Aug 9 Wayne’s World
  • Aug 16 Love & Basketball
  • Aug 23 Wonder Woman
  • Aug 30 Public Vote! (Big, The Matrix, Point Break, or Dance, Girl, Dance)

dbpresents-2018-movies-albee

Alamo Drafthouse is presenting the “Outer Space Outdoors” series at Albee Square in Downtown Brooklyn on Thursdays in June. As the name of the series suggests, all the films have an outer space or alien theme. Things kicks off with a DJ set at 7 PM with the film around 8 PM and here’s the schedule:

  • June 7th: Close Encounters of the Third Kind
  • June 14th: Men in Black
  • June 21st: Space Jam
  • June 28th: Gravity

The Intrepid Museum (Pier 86, Hudson River Park) is showing movies again this summer, and actually kicked off their series over Memorial Day Weekend. The flight deck opens at 7 PM with the movies at sundown. Here are the remaining films in the series:

  • Friday, June 29: Wonder Woman (2017)
  • Friday, July 13: Friday the 13th (1980)
  • Friday, July 27: Dunkirk (2017)
  • Friday, August 10: Ghostbusters (1984)
  • Friday, August 24: Community Choice Pick

Over at Pier I on Riverside Park South (70th St at the Hudson River) there’s the “Summer on the Hudson: Pier I Picture Show – Summer Wars” film series which runs July 11 – August 22 (Seating opens at 6:30 PM The movie starts after sunset). Here’s the lineup:

  • July 11 – Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) PG
  • July 18 – Sita Sings the Blues (2008)
  • July 25 – Toy Story 3 (2010) G
  • August 1 – Coco (2017) PG
  • August 8 – Summer Wars (2009) PG
  • August 15 – WALL·E (2008) G
  • August 22 – Up (2009) PG

films-on-the-green-2018

“Films on the Green” is presenting 12 classic and contemporary French films in at various NYC parks (and one in NJ) from June 1 – September 6. This year’s theme “explores the profound relationship between French culture and gastronomy, an integral part of France’s social fabric.” Head here for more details but here’s the lineup of films:

  • JUN 1 Le Grand Restaurant (Central Park Cedar Hill)
  • JUN 8 The Scent of Green Papaya (Washington Square Park)
  • JUN 15 The Rules of the Game (Washington Square Park)
  • JUN 22 La Bûche (Transmitter Park)
  • JUN 29 Garçon! (Transmitter Park)
  • JUL 6 Le Boucher (Tompkins Square Park)
  • JUL 11 The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (J Hood Wright Park)
  • JUL 13 Romantics Anonymous (Tompkins Square Park)
  • JUL 20 You Will Be My Son (Riverside Park Pier I)
  • JUL 27 Haute Cuisine (Riverside Park Pier I)
  • SEP 1 Donkey Skin (Jack Alter Fort Lee Community Center, Fort Lee NJ)
  • SEP 6 The Grocer’s Son (Columbia University, Rotunda, Low Memorial Library)

At Hunter’s Point South Park in Long Island City there’s the “CinemaLIC Presents” series (seating starts at 7:30 PM except for Ratatouille which is at 7 PM):

  • June 9: The Wizard of Oz
  • June 15: Moonstruck
  • July 19: Sleepless in Seattle
  • August 16: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
  • September 15: Ratatouille

ferris

Randall’s Island hosts the “Outdoor Movie Night” series at Field 81 and Field 42 Start times vary (head here for more details) but here’s the lineup:

  • June 9: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
  • June 22: Wonder Woman
  • July 8: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle
  • July 22: The Lego Batman Movie
  • August 5: Coco
  • August 19: Guardians of the Galaxy
  • September 9: Rogue One – A Star Wars Story

There’s also Movie Nights in Rockaway series at various places on Rockaway Beach (all start at 8 PM):

  • June 28: Star Wars – The Last Jedi (Beach 17th Street and Seagirt Boulevard)
  • July 14: Big Fish (Beach 94th St, off Shorefront Parkway)
  • Aug 10: Black Panther (Beach 59th St and Boardwalk)

Similarly, Coney Island’s Flicks on the Beach series runs Mondays from July 9 – August 27. The film lineup hasn’t been announced yet but stay tuned.

Need more? The NYC Parks Department’s “Movies Under the Stars” series is wide-ranging, offering up free outdoor movies at dozens of different parks in all five boroughs. Check out the schedule here.

There’s also Rooftop Films which are mostly ticketed screenings (but usually fun).

What else?