Updated July 21, 2016
If you like the idea of being an outdoorsy person but are less fond of the idea of camping/being without technology for prolonged periods of time, outdoor movies are the (almost) perfect activity. Enjoy the fresh air with the company of your friends and family. Bring some bug spray to ward off the occasional mosquitoes. Pack a plethora of snacks and beverages. Overpriced movie theater tickets and snacks are a thing of the past. This is your guide to all of the FREE outdoor movie screenings in the D.C. area this spring/summer season. But remember, plan to be on time because it’s every man for himself.
FYI: April showers have continued into May so some of the screening schedules haven’t been posted yet. We will update the guide as they roll in.
Crystal Screen Outdoor Film Festival
Deetz: 1851 Bell St., Crystal City, Arlington VA
Dates: August 15 – October 3
Time: Sunset
Theme: Star Wars
August 15: Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope
August 22: Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
August 29: Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi
September 12: Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
September 19: Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones
September 26: Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
October 3: Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens
Adams Morgan Movie Nights
Deetz: Marie Reed Elementary School Field, corner of 18th and California
Dates: May 17 – June 14
Time: 1/2 hour after sunset
Theme: None, but that’s a good thing.
Schedule:
- May 24: Selma
- May 31: Rebel Without a Cause
- June 7: School of Rock
- June 14: Pretty in Pink
- June 21: Inside Out
Family Night at Sursum Corda
Deetz: Outdoor Plaza on L and 1st Street, NW
Dates: June 23 – August 4 (second Tuesday of each month)
Time: 7 p.m.
Theme: Kids films
Schedule:
- June 21: Home
- July 19: Up
- August 16: Zootopia
South Riding Movie Night
Deetz: South Riding Center (42420 Unicorn Dr) Tuesday nights / Town Green (43055 Center St) on Tuesday nights.
Dates: June 28 – August 16
Time: Sundown
Theme: None
- June 28: The Descendants
- July 5: Shaun the Sheep Movie
- July 12: The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out of Water
- July 19: Inside Out
- July 26: Cinderella
- August 2: The Good Dinosaur
- August 9: Minions
- August 16: Norm of the North
Georgetown Sunset Cinema
Deetz: Georgetown Waterfront Park Tuesday nights
Dates: July 5 – August 2
Time: Sunset of course! (around 8:30pm)
Theme: Decades
- July 5: The 60’s – Planet of the Apes (1968)
- July 12: The 70’s – Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
- July 19: The 80’s – E.T. the Extra-Terrestial (1982)
- July 26: The 90’s – Thelma & Louise (1991)
- August 2: The 2000’s – Into the Wild (2007)
Summer Movies @ Arlington Mill
Deetz: Storey Park Lot (1005 First Street, NE)
Dates: August 11 – September 15
Time: TBD
Theme: None!
August 11: Kung Fu Panda 3
August 18: Maze Runner: Scorch Trials
August 25: Project Almanac
September 1: The Peanuts Movie
September 8: Brooklyn
September 15: He Named Me Malala
WCP & Events DC Movie Nights @ Carnegie Library
Deetz: Carnegie Library (801 K St NW)
Dates: July 19 – August 9
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Theme: None!
- July 19: Ghostbusters
- July 30: Bridesmaids
- August 2: Back to the Future
- August 9: The Princess Bride
NoMa Summer Screen
Deetz: Storey Park Lot (1005 First Street, NE)
Dates: June 1 – August 24
Time: 7 – 11 p.m., rain or shine
Theme: Choose Your Own Adventure
The cool folks at REI are sponsoring the NOMA Summer Screen this year, so you can expect very fun / weird in a good way / outdoorsy as hell activations throughout the series. It’s going to be good, we promise.
Schedule:
- June 1: Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark
- June 7: Purple Rain
- June 8: Princess Bride
- June 15: Guardians of the Galaxy
- June 22: Jumanji
- June 29: Fast Five
- July 6: Pee Wee’s Big Adventure
- July 13: Life of Pi
- July 20: O Brother, Where Art Thou?
- July 27: ET: The Extraterrestrial
- August 3: Apollo 13
- August 10: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
- August 17: Jurassic Park
WCP & Events DC Movie Nights @ Gateway
Deetz: Gateway (2700 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE)
Dates: June 29 – July 27
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Theme: None!
Schedule:
- June 29: The Good Dinosaur
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July 6: Star Wars: The Force Awakens
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July 13: Aladdin
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July 20: Minions
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July 27 : Jurassic World
U Street Movie Series
Schedule: Coming soon
Dumbarton House Jane Austen Film Festival
Schedule: Coming soon
Capitol Riverfront Outdoor Movies
Deetz: New Jersey Ave SE and Tingey Street SE, Washington, D.C. (Near Navy Yard Metro Station)
Dates: June 2 – August 11
Time: Sundown
Theme: People’s choice
Schedule:
- June 2: Ocean’s Eleven
- June 9: Inside Out
- June 23: Hitch
- June 30: Star Wars The Force Awakens
- July 7: Mean Girls
- July 14: Jurassic World
- July 21: Minions
- July 28: Creed
- August 4: Pitch Perfect 2
- August 11: The Martian
WCP & Events DC Movie Nights @ RFK
Deetz: RFK (2001 E. Capitol Street SE)
Dates: June 30 – July 28
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Theme: None!
Schedule:
- June 30: Creed
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July 7: Space Jam
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July 14: Cool Runnings
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July 21: The Sandlot
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July 28: Bring It On
Rockville Town Square: Movies on the Square
Schedule: Coming soon
Rosslyn Outdoor Film Festival
Deetz: Gateway Park, 1300 Lee Highway, Rosslyn, VA (Near Rosslyn Metro, parking available at Atlantic Parking Garage for $3)
Dates: June 10 – August 26
Time: Sundown, rain or shine
Theme: None!
Schedule:
- June 10: Beethoven 2
- June 17: Eat, Pray, Love
- June 24: Indiana Jones Raiders of the lost Ark
- July 1: Coming to America
- July 8: Dirty Dancing
- July 15: Nemo
- July 22: Casablanca
- July 29: Top Gun
- August 5: Up
- August 12: Roman Holiday
- August 19: Casino Royale
- August 26: The Notebook
Golden Cinema Series
Deetz: Farragut Square (Connecticut Avenue & K Street)
Dates: May 20 – July 22
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Theme: None
Schedule:
- May 20: American President
- May 27: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
- June 3: Mars Attacks!
- June 10: Dave
- June 17: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
- June 24: Lee Daniel’s The Butler
- July 1: Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde
- July 8: Clear and Present Danger
- July 15: Manchurian Candidate
- July 22: National Treasure: Book of Secrets
The Wharf Drive In Movies
Deetz: The Wharf (Gangplank Marina Park, 600 Water Street, SW)
Dates: June 3 – June 24
Time: 8 p.m.
Theme: Driiiive In!
Schedule:
- June 3: Sharknado
- June 10: Finding Nemo
- June 17: The Perfect Storm
- June 24 Splash
Mosaic’s Films in the Park
Schedule: Coming soon
Laurel Friday Flicks Outdoor Movies
Schedule: Coming soon
Lansdowne Live!
Schedule: Coming soon
Palisades Citizens Association
Schedule: Coming soon
Union Market Summer Drive-In Series
Deetz: Union Market
Dates: July – October
Time: 8:00 p.m. / Sunset
Theme: None!
Schedule:
- July 1: Top Gun
- August 5: Ratatouille
- September 2: Grease
- October 7: Ghost Busters
Cinema Del Ray
Deetz: Mount Vernon Rec Center, 2701 Commonwealth Ave, Alexandria, VA (parking available)
Dates: May – August (every third Saturday of each month)
Time: 7 p.m., show begins at dusk
Theme: Family Flicks
Schedule:
- May 21: Inside Out
- June 18: Peanuts
- July 16: Toy Story
- August 20: Aladdin
- September 17: Kung Fu Panda 3
Greenbelt Moonlit Movies
Schedule: Coming soon
The Wine Bin (Ellicott City)
Deetz: 8390 Main St # 1, Ellicott City, MD 21043
Dates: May 27 – September 17, October 29
Time: June – August 9pm; September 8pm
Theme: Various
Schedule:
- May 27: Skyfall
- May 28: Live and Let Die
- June 4: Grease
- June 11: Moonstruck
- June 18: Sideways
- June 25: Wedding Singer
- July 2: Top Gun
- July 9: Chef
- July 16: Pitch Perfect
- July 23: Raising Arizona
- July 30: Adventures of Robin Hood
- August 6: Sixteen Candles
- August 13: To Catch a Thief
- August 20: Manchurian Candidate
- August 27: Star Wars: New Hope
- September 3: My Big Fat Greek Wedding
- September 10: Cinema Paradiso
- September 17: Star Wars: The Force Awakens
- October 29: Wizard of Oz
Outdoor Movies at Penrose Square
Deetz: 2597 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA
Dates: June 4 – September 17
Time: Vary, see website
Theme: Various
June 4: Spongebob Squarepants: A Sponge out of Water
June 11: The Martian
June 18: Belle
June 25: Fault in our Stars
July 2: Juno
July 9: Fantastic Four
July 16: The Book Thief
July 23: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
July 30: Moulin Rouge
Aug. 6: Joy
August 13: All that Jazz
August 20: The Devil Wears Prada
August 27: The Princess Bride
September 3: Spotlight
September 10: That Sugar Film
September 17: Water
Comcast Outdoor Film Festival
Deetz: Strathmore, 10701 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD
Dates: August 20 – August 22
Time: 8:30 p.m.
Theme: Various
August 20: Jurassic World
August 21: Minions
August 22: The Wizard of Oz
Rock & Roll Hotel
Schedule: Coming Soon
Lake Anne Summer Outdoor Movies
Deetz: 11404 Washington Plaza W, Reston, VA 20190
Dates: July 8 – August 26
Time: Sundown
Theme: Various
Schedule:
- July 8: Ferris Bueller’s Day off
- July 22: Toy Story
- August 12: Breakfast at Tiffany’s
- August 26: Lady Sings the Blues
Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center
Deetz: 14900 Potomac Town Place, Woodbridge, VA 22191
Dates: May 21 – September 10
Time: 7 p.m.
Theme: Various
Schedule:
- May 21: Jurassic World
- May 28: Hotel Transylvania
- June 4: Snow White
- June 11: Taste of Woodbridge
- June 18: Minions
- July 2: Shaun the Sheep
- July 9: Planet 51
- July 16: Star Wars: The Force Awakens
- July 23: Open Season
- July 30: Pixels
- August 6: Inside Out
- August 13: Max
- August 20: Gnomeo & Juliet
- August 27: E.T
- September 3: Karate Kid
- September 10: Zootopia
Bethesda Outdoor Movies-Stars on the Avenue
Deetz: Woodmont Triangle at the corner of Norfolk and Auburn Avenues, Bethesda, MD
Dates: July 62 – July 29
Time: 9 p.m.
Theme: Various
Schedule:
- July 26: Pretty in Pink
- July 27: Manhattan Murder Mystery
- July 28: Brooklyn
- July 29: My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Dupont Circle: Cinema in the Circle
Schedule: Coming soon
Think we missed anything? Show us some love and let us know in the comments.
