Things to Do

Your Guide to Free Outdoor Movies in Washington

Watch '80s hits, kid-friendly flicks, comedies, and more around town.

Watch movies from your car while the DC Rollergirls deliver you snacks and drinks on wheels. Photo courtesy Union Market.

Updated.

Grab a picnic basket and lawn chair: Outdoor movies have officially kicked off this summer. Check out details on screenings in DC, Maryland, and Virginia, and visit DC Outdoor Films for additional venues. Movies start at sundown unless otherwise noted.

DC

Adams Morgan Movie Nights

Marie Reed Elementary School Field

18th St. and California Ave., NW

June 9, 16, and 23

Upcoming films include Rich Hill, Whiplash, and The Bicycle Thief. Screenings start 30 minutes after sundown.

Follow @AdMoBID for updates.

Capitol Riverfront Outdoor Movie Series

Canal Park

200 M St., SE

Every Thursday through September 3

Watch Independence Day in time for July 4, or ’80s classics like Back to the Future, The Princess Bride, and The Goonies.

Follow @CapitolRvrFront for updates.

Cinema in the Circle

Dupont Circle

9 Dupont Cir., NW

June 20

Grab a picnic basket and watch Madonna swing a bat on A League of Their Own. Film starts at 8:30 PM.

Follow @DupontFestival for updates.

Golden Cinema

Farragut Park

Connecticut Ave. and K St., NW

Fridays through July 31, except July 3

This year’s theme is “All Worked Up.” Films include Anchorman on June 5, The Social Network on June 12, Nine to Five on July 10, and The Wedding Planner on July 31.

Follow @GoldenTriDC for updates.

NoMa Summer Screen

Storey Park

1005 First St., NE

Every Wednesday through August 19

“Dance, dance, dance” is the motto behind NoMa’s outdoor film series. Selections include Flashdance on June 17, Grease on July 1, and Footloose on August 12. Bonus: Food trucks such as Pho Wheels, Captain Cookie, and Arepa Zone make regular appearances.

Follow @NomaBID for updates.

NoMA Family Film Night

L and First Sts., NW

July 7, July 21, and August 4

This family-friendly version of NoMa’s Summer Screen features kid-centric films like Happy Feet Two, Rio 2, and The Princess and the Frog. The event begins at 7 PM with complimentary food and activities.

Palisades’ Free Summer Movie Series

5200 Sherier Pl., NW

June 12, July 17, and August 14

Watch The Goonies on June 12, Raiders of the Lost Ark, on July 17, and The Princess Bride on August 14. Popcorn will be provided.

Check Palisades Citizens Association on Facebook for updates.

Union Market Drive-In

1309 5th St., NE

June 5, 12, 19, and 26

Movies begin at 8 PM at Union Market, where you’ll have to fork over a $10 parking fee if you plan to watch from your car. Cyclists and pedestrians get in for free. The series starts tonight with Space Jam; future flicks include Jurassic Park, Pretty Woman, and Beverly Hills Cop.

Follow @UnionMarketDC for updates.

MARYLAND

Bethesda Outdoor Movies

Norfolk and Auburn Aves., Bethesda

July 21 to 25

This five-day series includes screenings of Sixteen Candles, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1, Mrs. Doubtfire, The Imitation Game, and Chef, which might make you surprisingly hungry.

Follow @BethesdaUP for updates.

Movies at Montpelier

Montpelier Arts Center

6600 Kenilworth Ave., Riverdale

July 15, July 29, and August 12

You have a choice of three flicks at this outdoor film series: Grease, The Book of Life, and Big Hero 6. Films begin at 8 PM.

Comcast Outdoor Film Festival

MCPS Board of Education

850 Hungerford Dr., Rockville

August 21, 22, and 23

The party begins at 5:30 PM, with games, music, and food. Movies, including Interstellar and How to Train Your Dragon 2, begin at 8:30 PM.

Movies on the Potomac

165 Waterfront St., National Harbor

Sundays through September 27

Movies begin at 6 PM and are organized into different themes each month. Check out “Universal Smashes”–such as Space Jam, ET, and Martian Child–in June; “Jungle Adventure”–such as Jumanji and The Flintstones–in July; “Travel in Time”–including Back to the Future, parts one, two, and three–in August; and “Back to School”–Matilda, Monsters Inc., and James and the Giant Peach–in September.

Follow @NationalHarbor for updates.

VIRGINIA

Alexandria Comcast Outdoor Film Festival

Waterfront Park

1A Prince St., Alexandria

July 17 and 18

Catch How to Train Your Dragon 2 on Friday and X-Men: Days of Future Past on Saturday. Movies begin at 8:30 PM.

Outdoor Movies at Central Library

1015 N Quincy St., Arlington

August 6 and 13

Films begin at twilight and include Empire Records, as well as The Great Gatsby.

Follow @ArlingtonVALib for updates.

Starlight Cinema

5875 Trinity Pkwy., Centreville

Saturdays in August

You better know the words to “Let It Go” for this drive-in series. Watch Frozen on August 15, or Paddington, The Sting, How To Train Your Dragon 2, and Big Hero 6 on other evenings. Movies begin at 7:30 PM.

Call 703-324-7469 for weather updates.

Crystal Screen: Spark Espionage

1851 S. Bell St., Arlington

Mondays through August 31

A selection of spy-inspired flicks will be shown during this series. Films include Argo, Mission Impossible (parts one, two, and three), Charlie Wilson’s War, and The Bourne Identity series.

Follow @CCBID for updates.

Sunset Cinema

Cherry Hill Park

312 Park Ave., Falls Church

August 14, 21, and 29

Help pick films by voting for your favorites starting July 1. Movies begin at 8:15 PM.

Follow @FallsChurchGov for updates.

Lansdowne Live’s Friday Movies and Music

Route 7 and Belmont Ridge Rd., Lansdowne

June 13 through August 8

Watch The Croods, The Goonies, and Monsters University during this family-friendly series. Movies begin at 6:30 PM.

Movies on the Lawn

NoVa’s Mary Louise Jackson Amphitheater

6901 Sudley Rd., Manassas

June 5, 12, 19, and 26, July 11 and 25, August 8 and 22, September 12 and 26, October 10.

Watch Into the Woods, The Theory of Everything, The Boxtrolls, and more.

Lake Anne Summer Film Festival

1609 Washington Plz., Reston

June 14, July 12, August 9, August 30

Four films are on deck: My Big Fat Greek Wedding, ET, West Side Story, and Jazz on a Summer’s Day.

Films in the Park

Strawberry Park

Strawberry Ln., Fairfax

Friday nights through September 4

Films begin at 7 PM and are organized thematically by month. In June, it’s “movies that make grown adults cry”—including Rudy, Miracle, Father of the Bride, and Angels in the Outfield.

Follow @MosaicDistrict for updates.

LOL Fridays: Quotable Comedies

Gateway Park

1300 Lee Hwy., Rosslyn

Fridays through August 28

Films start at dusk—usually at about 8:30 or 9 PM—and include a selection of comedies, such as Wedding Crashers, Mean Girls, Anchorman, Clueless, and Zoolander.

Follow @RosslynVA for updates.