From now through September, take advantage of these free outdoor movie screenings in every genre. In DC, summer is the season for outdoor movies, and every year, venues both in and outside of the city host film festivals and series in the open air.
Capitol Riverfront Outdoor Movie Series
CAPITOL RIVERFRONT
When the sun goes down, the show goes on at the gorgeous Canal Park in the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood. Arrive around 7pm if you want to snag a sweet spot and even snack on a picnic before it gets dark. Come out every Thursday for a different movie, like the action adventure film Raiders of the Lost Ark on June 14 or the spring blockbuster Black Panther on August 2.
Films at the Stone
NATIONAL MALL
For this series, films are screened at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial on the National Mall. Catch Marshall, a film about Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, on June 21; Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, the recent reincarnation of the classic, on July 19; and watch T’Challa take back the throne in Black Panther on August 23.
Georgetown Sunset Cinema
GEORGETOWN
The 2018 theme for this Tuesday night series is “Movies That Rock” and will feature iconic flicks with a musical plot element. Each showing starts around 8:45pm against the panoramic backdrop of the summer sunset, Potomac River, and Key Bridge. Musical classics like Grease, Footloose, and Dirty Dancing will light up the screen on Tuesday evenings from July 10 through August 7.
Golden Cinema
FARRAGUT PARK
This 10-week outdoor movie series happens every Friday from early June through the beginning of August. Hundreds of DC residents turn out for this free event, especially because it’s so easy to make a whole night of it given the array of restaurants and retailers in the neighborhood. Watch the dreamy Ryan Gosling float across your screen in La La Land on June 22, or kick it old school with 1942’s Casablanca on July 27.
National Harbor Movies on the Potomac
NATIONAL HARBOR
Summer nights on the plaza just got a lot more fun with two nights a week to get your fill of movies under the stars. National Harbor has one of the longest-running free outdoor film series, with showings from the beginning of May through the end of September. Thursdays at 7pm is “Date Night,” with movies like Wonder Woman, Forrest Gump, and The Blind Side. On Sundays at 6pm, gear up for “Movies on the Potomac,” with more family-friendly themed flicks like Charlotte’s Web, The Little Rascals, and Moana.
Union Market Drive-In
NOMA
Free but there’s a $10 parking. Take it back to the bygone era of spending Friday nights making out in a car at a drive-in movie. The vibe here reflects ‘90s classics from Clueless and Cool Runnings to The Lion King and Hocus Pocus. No car? No problem! Park your seat on a nearby picnic table with a perfect view of the screen.
NoMa Summer Screen
NOMA
This award-winning film festival happens 12 Wednesday evenings each summer, and they’re in a new location this year at The Lot. This year’s theme is “Wonder Women,” so each flick features a strong female lead spreading all kinds of girl power. Watch Mulan as a warrior princess who proves all the boys wrong, see the ladies kick some butt in Mad Max: Fury Road, and end your summer with Gal Gadot’s brilliant performance in Wonder Woman.
