Movie In The Park Events For Families In Chicagoland
Grab some snacks and enjoy these fun family flicks at a park in the city and suburbs.
While we take in those amazing summer nights, why not enjoy the great weather with a concert or a movie outdoors? The Chicago area offers many free and inexpensive outdoor movie programs and we made it easier for you by rounding up kid-friendly movies to see all summer long.
Whether you want to watch new animated movies like Encanto and Luca or classics like Greaseor Footloose, there are plenty of movies for the whole family to enjoy. A quick heads up we did select a few PG-13 movies for parents with tweens and teens, so please take a look at each movies rating to decide if its appropriate for your kiddos.
Keep scrolling to find the best outdoor movies near you. Dont forget to grab a few blankets and delicious snacks before heading down to these screenings!
Note: Free screenings can change at the last minute, so ALWAYS check the location first before heading out.
Where To Catch Outdoor Movies In Chicago This Summer
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Now that the weather has finally dipped below 98 degrees with 99% humidity, its time for fresh, Chicago-summer air outside, especially at night, to relax and melt the days stress off your shoulders. And whats a more peaceful evening activity than the outdoor movies in Chicago? Combine the comfort of kicking your feet up with a classic flick and a unique viewing atmosphere, and youve got the perfect summer evening. Lets go!
Millennium Park Summer Film Series 2022 Schedule
All movies begin at 6:30 p.m. Guests may take a seat at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion or lounge on the Great Lawn.
Tuesday, July 12, 2022PG-13, 2 hr 23 mins
Tuesday, July 19, 2022PG, 1 hr 49 mins
Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022PG- 13, 1 hr 37 mins
Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022PG-13, 2 hr 10 mins
Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2022Shang-Chi and the Legend of the 10 RingsPG-13, 2 hr 12 mins
Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2022PG-13, 1 hr 52 mins
Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022PG, 1 hr 34 mins
Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022Harry Potter and the Sorcerers StonePG, 2 hrs 32 mins
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About Movies In The Park
Bring the whole family to sit under the stars in Elgins own beautiful parks! Enjoy a variety of family films all summer long, all for free! Remember to bring your lawn chairs, blankets, bug spray and snacks! Coolers are permitted at this event. No alcohol is allowed. Food trucks, hired characters, and face painters will be available at some events.
Free Movies In The Park Chicago & Suburbs

Your guide to all the Free Outdoor Movies In The Park Events through out Chicago and the suburbs.
Odyssey Fun World Tinley ParkCome on out for our Movie on the Green Friday Nights at our Tinley Park location. A different movie will be shown on our giant inflatable screen in our beautiful outdoor park at dusk each week! The best part? Its FREE!
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Enter The Park On Randolph Street Monroe Street And Millennium Garage Entrances Tuesdays At : 30pm Free Admission
Legend of the 10 Rings
Save The Last Dance
This summer, DCASE is pleased to present the Millennium Park Summer Film Series on Tuesdays from July 12 through September 6. Films start at 6:30pm.
Guests may take a seat at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion or lounge on the Great Lawn as crowd-pleasing movies are presented on the state-of- the-art, 40-foot LED screen.
In celebration of the citywide 2022 Year of Chicago Dance this summers lineup showcases select films inspired by dance. Learn more at YearofChicagoDance.com.
In the Heights
2021, PG-13, 2 hr 23 mins
A film version of the Broadway musical in which Usnavi, a sympathetic New York bodega owner, saves every penny every day as he imagines and sings about a better life.
Encanto
2021, PG, 1 hr 49 mins
A Colombian teenage girl has to face the frustration of being the only member of her family without magical powers.
UPDATE: No Film
Dirty Dancing
1987, PG- 13, 1 hr 37 mins
Spending the summer at a Catskills resort with her family, Frances “Baby” Houseman falls in love with the camp’s dance instructor, Johnny Castle.
Knives Out
2019, PG-13, 2 hr 10 mins
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the 10 Rings
2021, PG-13, 2 hr 12 mins
Shang-Chi, the master of weaponry-based Kung Fu, is forced to confront his past after being drawn into the Ten Rings organization.
Save the Last Dance
2001, PG-13, 1 hr 52 mins
Strictly Ballroom
1992, PG, 1 hr 34 mins
NEW DATE: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
2001, PG, 2 hrs 32 mins
Enjoy A Movie In The Parks
The big screen in your backyard, Movies in the Parks returns this summer, bringing Hollywood movies and local films to local parks for the twenty-first season. Join us in person at the parks for classics from the Golden Age of Hollywood and retro childhood favorites, to the best family-friendly box office favorites from recent years.The Chicago Park District strives to bring the best possible entertainment and events to your parks while maintaining prevention-focused COVID safety and mitigation strategies as recommended or required by local, state, and federal guidelines. Please review the health and safety recommendations for our patrons.
Park fieldhouses and restrooms may not be open during your movie. If you have concerns or questions about fieldhouse hours or restroom availability, please contact your local park supervisor before the movie. Check out the full lineup below, or in the MyChi Parks app, or in one of these formats: PDF, Excel, or . All movies begin at dusk. If you’re unsure when dusk is, visit any weather site to see the time of dusk each day. Call 742-1134 for daily listings and weather-related cancellations.
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Wednesday, August 1Harrison ParkThe Movies in the Parks series is a city-wide Chi-town operation in its eighteenth season. There are so many movies playing at parks around the city, its impressive. All of the showings begin at dusk and are free. Gather the friends and the comfortable chairs and a cooler. Spanish with English subtitles. All ages.Cost: Free
Wednesday, August 1Merrimac ParkThe Movies in the Parks series is a city-wide Chi-town operation in its eighteenth season. There are so many movies playing at parks around the city, its impressive. All of the showings begin at dusk and are free. Gather the friends and the comfortable chairs and a cooler. All ages.Cost: Free
Wednesday, August 1Oakbrook CenterThe Oakbrook Center is hosting free outdoor movies on the Village Green located near Crate & Barrel. Seating is first-come, first-serve and parking at the shopping center is free. Theres a whole bunch of shops and restaurants around, and a real movie theater in case it starts to rain. All ages are welcome. You can follow on Instagram and tag your photos with #MoviesatOakbrookCost: Free
Thursday, August 2Margate ParkThe Movies in the Parks series is a city-wide Chi-town operation in its eighteenth season. There are so many movies playing at parks around the city, its impressive. All of the showings begin at dusk and are free. Gather the friends and the comfortable chairs and a cooler. All ages.Cost: Free
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Free Movies At Millennium Park
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Theres nothing better than watching a movie al fresco with a light picnic on the lush Millenium Park lawn. This Chicago summertime tradition is back with the Millenium Park Film Series, running from
Stroll into the Jay Pritzker Pavilion and watch classic, family-friendly movies like Ghostbusters,My Big Fat Greek Wedding or Black Panther, on a huge 40-foot LED screen. Choose a seat in the pavilion or a blanket or chair on the lawn and enjoy an evening movie outdoors.
Food and drinks are sold at kiosks in the park or you can bring your own. Movies are presented every Tuesday at dusk, which is around 6:30 pm with free admission.
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+ Free Outdoor Movies In Chicago This Summer With Kids
Movies, treats, and staying up past bedtimethese are the things summer is made for, and you can roll them all into one with the plethora of free outdoor movies in Chicago and the suburbs. You can go see a movie at a landmark destination, like Navy Pier or Millennium Park, or just enjoy a night out under the stars in your favorite neighborhood or suburban park. There are outdoor movies in Spanish from the International Latino Cultural Center, African-American centric movies at the DuSable Museum of African American History, and girl-power movies at .
Want to see a movie in your car? Check out one of our favorite drive-in destinations. Have kids that aren’t big enough to stay up past dark on a long summer night? Try out our list of favorite toddler playgrounds or water parks for little ones that are just as good during the day.
Pack your blanket or chair, bag of popcorn, juice or soda, and head out to one of the more than 30 locations we’ve found to see an outdoor movie in Chicago this summer!
Chicago Park Districts Movies In The Park Events
Families can enjoy seeing a free flick at one of these park locations in the city.
Summer nights are the best! Especially when you can head to a local park and enjoy a movie night with your family. Bring dinner, snacks, drinks and even a blanket or chair to watch comfortably.
Chicago Park District has many family-friendly movie options, including Encanto, Space Jam: A New Legacy, The Mitchells vs The Machines and many more. Make sure to check the movies rating before heading out because some of the movies are rated PG-13 for older kids.
Looking for more fun things to do with kids in Chicagoland? Check out our summer fun guide!
Note: Free screenings can change at the last minute, so ALWAYS check the location first before heading out.
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Note: Movie Titles Dates And Time Announced In Mid
THREE MOVIE MUSICALS will be Screened One in June, One in July and One in August.
Come to Wicker Bring a Picnic Dinner & Your Friends and Enjoy Excellent Movies.
Movies Begin at Dusk
SPONSOR A MOVIE $350 MORE INFORMATION:
Movie Titles and Screening Dates cant be shared to non-sponsors until Mid-May when the Park District announces the Series.
SALES END APRIL 30, 2022
AS A SPONSOR Your Logo will be Included on
- The Damen/LeMoyne Event Banner Banner Size 8ft X 4ft from Mid-May September
- Tent Banner at Music Series 8ft X 4ft
- Playground Event Banner 5ft X 3ft
- On Social Media Posts of the Banner Image and Movie Poster
- One Slide Promoting Your Business in the Pre-Movie slideshow
- Table & Chairs Provided for you to be at ONE of the movies to promote their business or organization
CONTACT TO Be A Sponsor
- Purchase Your Movie
- Choose One of the Three Dates
- SEND Your Logo in 300DPI JPEG or PDF
- SEND Material for Your Pre-Movie Slide Show Format The Pre-Movie Slide Show is Power Point Format
Millennium Park Summer Film Series

Free admission Millennium Park
Every summer in Chicago, visitors and locals flock to the Jay Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park to kick back, picnic, and watch blockbusters, award-winning movies, family classics, and cult favorites in an unforgettable setting.
The annual Millennium Park Summer Film Series takes place on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. and admission is totally free.
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About The Summer Film Series
Chairs within the pavilions seating bowl and space on the Great Lawn are first come, first served. Arrive early to snag a spot! Guests can bring their own food and beverages to the Summer Film Series events, so pack a picnic and make a night out of it.
Bright enough to be completely visible in the daylight, the screen illuminates the entire viewing area with crisp, clear images and combines with the Pavilions concert-hall quality sound system to create one of the most memorable moviegoing experiences, no matter where you sit.
What Is It
Every summer, the shows classic and contemporary movies in public parks all over the city as part of it’s Night Out in the Parks initiative. It’s a great way to enjoy some fresh air, a picnic dinner, and time with friends/significant others. Movies are screened on weeknights and weekends around dusk. Often, there is more than one movie being shown on a given night, but at different park locations throughout the city.
In the last few years, 170-195 movies have been shown during a given season.
Use the interactive map, PDF schedule, hotline number and/or Facebook page to keep up to date on what’s showing and where! For daily listings and updated weather-related cancellations, call 312-742-1134.
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