Summers in DC can certainly be hot and humid. But, the city really comes alive with incredible outdoor fun activities. From biking, to boating, concerts and more, there is no reason to be bored when you visit or live in Washington during the summer. One of our favorite past times is catching a movie outdoors. Now, these aren’t your parent’s drive ins. These big screens that pop up in some of the most random places all with the idea of getting people together to enjoy the magic of the silver screen. Most of them are free, dog friendly, and picnic friendly… so bring snacks! These outdoor film series have become so popular, it would be impossible to list them all here, but we’ve come up with our three favorites. Let us know what you think!
HBOs Screen on the Green
Thats right, the “Home Box Office” has taken to the National Mall in recent years bringing its wildly popular Screen on the Green series to the Nation’s playground for the past 16 years. Watching movies on the National Mall? Can’t really get more DC than that! This year, enjoy showings of Key Largo, The Karate Kid and more! Check out their full schedule here. You can also find movies on the Mall at the nearby Martin Luther King Memorial, by checking out their schedule here.
NoMa Summer Screen and Beer Fest
Located just north of Union Station, NoMa is one of DC’s fastest growing neighborhoods and they’ve really put themselves on the map with their exciting Summer Screen and Beer Fest series occurring this summer. That’s right, movies and beer. But that’s not all, they also invited some of the cities best food trucks over to provide snacks for hungry movie goers. It’s no wonder Travel and Leisure Magazine named the yearly event on of the top 10 Outdoor Movie Theaters in America! This summer, don’t miss showings of Top Gun, Pitch Perfect, the Dark Knight and more. Check out their full schedule here.
Rosslyn Film Festival
Just a short walk over the Key Bridge from Georgetown lies the Virginia neighborhood of Rosslyn. Usually known as “those skyscrapers across the river,” Rosslyn boasts one of the best film festivals in the area. This year’s impressive 13 week lineup features showings like the Devil Wears Prada, Anchorman, Miss Congeniality and more. Most of these year’s movies are comedy’s, so if you need a great place to have a laugh and wind down, the Rosslyn Film Fest is your best bet. But, it is really popular so they suggest showing up early for the best seats. Check out their full schedule and info here.
That’s not all!
There are literally dozens of outdoor film series in Washington, DC this summer. There’s National Harbor, Adams Morgan, Capitol Riverfront, Alexandria, Bethesda and more. You can check out Thrillist’s top picks here (we can’t argue with any of them). Or, to get the full rundown of all the outdoor flicks this summer, check out the official site on the subject at DCOutdoorFilms.com. See you at the movies!
