The Best Places for Family-Friendly Outdoor Movies in Washington, D.C. This Summer

Photo Courtesy of Sam Kittner for the Georgetown BID

Get ready to enjoy some family fun in Washington D.C. this summer at some exciting outdoor movies! What better way to enjoy a warm summer night than under the stars watching a fun movie on a large screen?

Washington, D.C. offers a ton of fun movie nights that kids of all ages will love, from new movies like Incredibles 2, Dumbo and Mary Poppins Returns, to classics like The Little Mermaid and Little Rascals. Check out our list below for the best places to see an outdoor movie this summer!

Photo Courtesy of the National Harbor

Movies on the Potomac at the National Harbor on Waterfront St.- Free
The National Harbor is bringing us double the fun this summer by hosting movie nights twice a week! Movies on the Potomac will take place on Sundays at 6 p.m. and Thursdays at 7 p.m. from May 2nd through September 26th. Sundays are reserved for family favorites, kicking off with Little Rascals on May 5th and ending September 30th with Disney's live-action Dumbo. Thursdays are perfect for date night for mom and dad with a mix of action-packed, classic and new movie hits. To view both movie schedules and to plan ahead for your next date night, click HERE.

Photo Courtesy of Joy Asico

The Drive-In at Union Market on 5th St.
Enjoy a classic movie experience at the Drive-In at Union Market, which returns for its seventh season with exciting films this summer. This family-friendly event includes food from market vendors, pre-show activities and candy deliveries by members of the DC Rollergirls, a women's flat track derby league. For the true drive-in experience, there is a $15 per car parking fee but ground-seating for walk-ups is free! This unique outdoor movie experience takes place the first Friday of every month beginning May 3rd through October 4th. All movies are shown with closed captioning. Click HERE for movie list and HERE to purchase parking.

Photo Courtesy of NoMa BID

NoMa Summer Screen at The Lot at First St. & Pierce St.- FREE
Join in on the fun at NoMa Summer Screen for a free, award-winning movie festival held Wednesday evenings every summer! The movies begin at sunset from June 5th through August 21st (rain date is August 28th) and all movies include subtitles. The theme for their 12th season is "Who's Got Game?" and includes a lineup of fun sports-related films. Click HERE to view the full movie list. Best of all, dogs on leashes are welcome to join in the fun!

Films at the Stone at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial at Independence, Ave.- FREE
For an inspirational, three-part summer movie series for older kids, check out Films at the Stone hosted by the Memorial Foundation. The outdoor movie night will be held on Thursdays at 7:15 p.m. on June 20th, July 18th and August 28th. Be sure to bring your own chair or blanket. Click HERE for the movie list.

Golden Cinemas Series at Farragut Square Connecticut Ave. & K St., NW- FREE
Visit the heart of the Golden Triangle neighborhood for the Golden Cinemas Series free outdoor movies. Movies will be shown on Friday evenings between 8:30 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. beginning June 7th and ending August 2nd. This event is hosted by the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District (BID) and will include some fun new favorites like Mary Poppins Returns and Incredibles 2. Click HERE to view the full list.

Photo Courtesy of Sam Kittner for the Georgetown BID

Georgetown Sunset Cinema at Georgetown Waterfront Park, Water St. NW- FREE
Georgetown's Annual Sunset Cinema is returning this summer on July 9th with their outdoor movie series beginning with the showing of Under a Tuscan Sun. Enjoy the movies in the scenic location of Waterfront Park with the panoramic backdrop of the sunset, Potomac River and Key Bridge. The shows start each Tuesday night at sunset, between 8:30 p.m. and 8:45 p.m., with five movie showings from July 9th to August 6th. Seating is first come, first serve, so arrive early to claim your spot. Their 2019 theme is "Out of Office" and will feature films about vacations and trips. All movies will include closed captioning. Click HERE to view their movie schedule.

DowntownDC Summer Flicks at Freedom Plaza, 13th St. & Pennsylvania Ave. NW- FREE
Grab your superhero cape and head to Freedom Plaza for an exciting Marvel-themed outdoor movie theater experience at DowntownDC Summer Flicks! The fun begins on Tuesday, June 4th and will continue every Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. until July 9th. This event will also feature CAN I KICK IT?, a multimedia movie screening collaboration between DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID) and Shaolin Jazz. Each movie event will include a Marvel movie that will be scored with live and original music soundtracks featuring hip hop, soul, and more mixed by DJ 2-Tone Jones. This superhero-friendly event will also include martial arts demos, outdoor games, and free popcorn. Bring your own seats and show up early for the best view. Click HERE for the full movie line-up.

Photo Courtesy of Rosslyn BID

Rosslyn Cinema Outdoor Movie Festival at Gateway Park, Arlington, VA- Free
Rosslyn Cinema will host their summer Outdoor Movie Festival every Friday evening at Gateway Park beginning June 7th through July 12th. The movies will begin at dusk, but the fun starts at 5 p.m. with games, food trucks, and Pub in the Park, a mobile pub with beer, wine, and homemade sangria. Rosslyn Cinema will also host Special Family Nights on June 14th and July 12th from 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Click HERE for movie listings and more information on these family-friendly and dog-friendly events.

Photo Courtesy of Capitol Riverfront Business Improvement District

Capitol Riverfront Outdoor Movie Series at Canal Park, M St. SE
Pack up a picnic and grab a spot on the lawn at Canal Park from June through August to watch a movie beneath the stars at Capitol Riverfront Outdoor Movie Series. Movies begin at sundown but prepare to save seats as early as 7 p.m. The outdoor movie series includes a selection of exciting films, including box office hits like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Disney classics like The Little Mermaid. All movies will include closed captioning. To view the full movie schedule click HERE.

For more family-friendly summer fun in Washington, D.C. check out Chase Fireflies and Daydream on the "Lawn" at the National Building Museum.

Tags: Outdoor Movies Summer Screenings Kid Friendly Family Fun Washington, DC Free

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