Every year during the summer there are free movies in the many parks of the city; from Brooklyn to Queens and to Manhattan, you have several places to choose from. You can find out everything you need to know about free movie performances here!
My tip: also check out Free Concerts in the Parks!
What are the Free Summer Movies?
First and foremost, movie screenings are my favorite summer event! The free movie screenings have a long tradition and now span all the boroughs of the city. You can enjoy summer movie screenings both in Brooklyn Bridge Park, overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyline, and on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Intrepid.
One of the most famous and, for me, most beautiful places to see movies is definitely Bryant Park. And the best part? They’re free! If you’re in New York City at this time of year, catching a free screening is definitely a MUST DO (or rather, MUST SEE)!
When do the Free Summer Movies take place?
You can enjoy the free movies from Memorial Day weekend in late May through September. Be sure to plan one of these events into your itinerary, it’s worth it!
Where do the Free Summer Movies take place in New York?
You can choose from several parks and locations. I really liked Brooklyn Bridge Park with a view of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan skyline as well as the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Intrepid where you can enjoy the summer at the movies.
These are the locations already confirmed for 2022:
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Bryant Park Film Festival
Other Attraction in Midtown Manhattan
One of the best things to do in July in New York is visiting the free Bryant Park Film Festival and picnic performances in Bryant Park. In the heart of Manhattan, people gather in the summer months with blankets and chairs they’ve brought themselves to relax at the outdoor movie theater and concerts by the New York Philharmonics. Bryant Park is just under a 5 minute walk from Times Square, surrounded by tall trees, so it’s a bit secluded from the rest, but you’re still in the middle of it all: Awesome!
Schedule 2022:
- not announced, yet
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Movies With a View – Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 1 Harbor View Lawn
Other Events in Brooklyn Heights
Our Highlight
This year marks the 22nd year of the Movie With A View and is part of the Free Summer Movies that take place throughout New York. It’s a free event organized by the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy with a new theme each year. For 2022, it’s “Around the World.”
Schedule 2022:
- jeden Donnerstag von Juli bis August
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Intrepid Summer Movie Nights
Museum in Hell’s Kitchen
The Intrepid Sea Air & Space Museum is the only floating museum in NYC. You will find a wide array of historically significant military and maritime vehicles as well as a collection of museum ships on this aircraft carrier which is docked on the Hudson River. This is great for kids and adults alike as it discusses and shows a wide variety of artifacts regarding the US military and maritime history.
You can watch movies on the deck of the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Intrepid for free. This year this event celebrates its 40th anniversary – and it is one of the most popular locations. So get here early!
Schedule 2022:
- Friday, May 27, 2022: Crimson Tide
- Friday, June 24, 2022: E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
- Friday, July 29, 2022: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
- Friday, August 26, 2022: Blade Runner
For more on Summer Movie Nights at the Intrepid Museum, click here.
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Free Summer Movies Governors Island
Other Events in Governors Island
Also on our favorite island Governors Island you can experience the Free Summer Movies this year. Every second Friday of the month from June to September you can watch free movies. Entertainment starts at 7 p.m. at the Parade Ground. The movies then start around dusk.
Schedule 2022:
- are not yet fixed, but I have the information that there will be an event!
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Rooftop Film Club: Not free, but amazing!
Other Art & Culture in Midtown Manhattan
Our Highlight
We love the Free Summer Movies, which are available at different places in New York. They are an absolute MUST DO in the summer, so you should definitely plan the Free Summer Movies for yourself. But you can also go one floor higher: with the cinema events on the roofs of hotels or bars. The Rooftop Film Club on top of the Skylawn Embassy Suites show films in lofty heights on several days during the summer.
Picture: Christian Reimer – many thanks for this!!!
