Summer is a time for free outdoor concerts, workouts and movies under the stars. From Academy Award-nominated pictures to animated and action flicks, you’ll find plenty of family-friendly favorites on big screens throughout the area. Get those picnic blankets ready! Here’s what’s coming.Â
Starr Hill Movie Nights
Sundays June 2-Aug. 18, 6-8 p.m.
Starr Hill Biergarten will screen some staff favorites on the Great Lawn of The Perch, Tysons’ ever-popular rooftop park. Cheer on your fave team in Space Jam (June 2), then just keep swimming to Finding Nemo (June 9). Check the brewery’s event calendar for additional listings and maybe tack on a round of mini golf at neighboring Perch Putt before or after the film. // 1805 Capital One Drive, Tysons
Rosslyn Cinema
Fridays, June 7-21
Find a spot on the lawn at Gateway Park and sing along to Hairspray (June 7), discover The Secret Life of Pets (June 14) and leave your Mojo Dojo Casa House behind with Oscar-nominated Barbie (June 21). The Pub in the Park pop-up bar opens at 6 p.m., and movies start around 8:45 p.m. Grab some grub from an onsite food truck or a nearby restaurant. // 1300 Langston Blvd., Arlington (Rosslyn)
Mosaic Films in the Park
Thursdays, June 20-Aug. 15, 7 p.m.
Put on some pink and kick off the start of Mosaic District’s popular Thursday night series with a showing of Barbie. Other films coming to the giant screen in Strawberry Park this season include Migration (July 11), The Marvels (Aug. 1) and My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 (Aug. 15). Find free parking in any of several onsite garages and pick up a meal to eat picnic-style from a nearby restaurant. // 2910 District Ave., Fairfax
Columbia Pike Movie Nights
Fridays and Saturdays, July 5-Aug. 24
Who needs Netflix when you can catch 16 films for free along the Pike? On Friday nights, see Super Mario Bros., Wonka and Top Gun at the Arlington Mill Community Center. On Saturdays, Barbie, The Color Purple and Dirty Dancing are on deck at Penrose Square. All movies will have Spanish subtitles and will start between 8-8:30 p.m. BYO chair, blanket and leashed pet. // Arlington Mill Community Center, 909 S. Dinwiddie St., Arlington; Penrose Square, 2501 9th Road, Arlington
Outdoor Screenings at Wolf Trap
July 13, 24 and 26, 8 p.m.
Surround sound is great and all, but have you watched a movie with an entire orchestra playing along? The National Symphony Orchestra provides the soundtrack to three films this July, starting with Star Wars: A New Hope (July 13) followed by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (July 24) and Ghostbusters (July 26). These screenings aren’t free—check the website for pricing—but promise a unique experience. // Filene Center, 1551 Trap Road, Vienna
Sunset Cinema in Falls Church
Aug. 23, Sept. 20 and Oct. 26
The Little City’s annual summer film series returns for the 21st year, although you’ll have to wait a few months until it kitcks off in August. Bring a blanket, bug spray and a picnic to lay out in the grass at Cherry Hill Park. Movies start at dusk (6:30-7:15 p.m.). // 312 Park Ave., Falls Church