2025 NYC Summer Outdoor Movie Nights

🎬 2025 NYC Summer Outdoor Movie Nights – Ultimate Guide

Summer nights in New York City are made for outdoor movies—complete with starry skies, city skylines, and free films in parks across all five boroughs. From classic blockbusters in Midtown to indie picks in Brooklyn, this guide covers everything you need to know.

📍 Borough-by-Borough Locations & Schedules

Manhattan: Bryant Park

• Event: Paramount+ Movie Nights
• When: Mondays, June 9 – August 11, 2025
• Time: Lawn opens at 5 PM; films start ~8 PM
• Where: Bryant Park Lawn (42nd St & 6th Ave)

Queens: Roosevelt Island – Southpoint Park

• Event: RIOC Outdoor Movie Series
• When: Late June – Early August (4 screenings)
• Movies: Inside Out 2, Wicked, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, The Wild Robot
• Where: Southpoint Park (by Cornell Tech Tram)

Queens: Long Island City – Hunters Point South Park (CinemaLIC)

• Event: CinemaLIC Free Outdoor Movies
• When: Select Fridays, July – September
• Time: At sunset (~8:30 PM)
• Where: LIC Landing by COFFEED, large inflatable screen and skyline view

Brooklyn

• Prospect Park: Paramount+ Movie Nights — Wednesdays, late July through August
• Brooklyn Bridge Park: Pluto TV Movies With A View — Thursdays in July and August on Pier 1 Harbor View Lawn
• Other venues: Free outdoor movies scattered throughout Fort Greene, McCarren Park, Coney Island Beach, Red Hook, Crown Heights, Greenpoint, Sunset Park, Bay Ridge, etc.

The Bronx

• Van Cortlandt Park: Starlight Cinema — Tuesdays, early July through early August (e.g., Wizard of Oz, Shrek)
• Seton Park & Orchard Beach: Occasional screenings (e.g., Wicked at Seton Park; family movies at Orchard Beach)

Staten Island

• Lyons Pool: Outdoor screening (e.g., Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire on May 30)
• Snug Harbor / Midland Beach: May–June community events; check Staten Island Parks programming

🎥 Sample Movie Lineups

Midtown Manhattan (Bryant Park)

• Pretty in Pink, Stand by Me, Interstellar, Pulp Fiction, The Godfather, and more.

Roosevelt Island

• Inside Out 2, Wicked, Guardians 3, The Wild Robot

Long Island City

• Previous years featured Back to the Future, Top Gun: Maverick, Soul, Quantumania, and Aladdin

Brooklyn Highlights

• Prospect Park: Mean Girls, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Miss Congeniality
• Brooklyn Bridge Park: Bottoms, Alien, Waitress, The Matrix, Wizard of Oz, Trainwreck, etc.

The Bronx & Staten Island

• Van Cortlandt: Wizard of Oz, Shrek, Into the Woods
• Staten Island: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (Lyons Pool)

🚪 Rules & Entry Tips

• Bag checks: Mandatory at Bryant Park; similar minimal checks at other venues
• No tall chairs/pets/alcohol: Applies to most screenings—each park has specific restrictions (e.g. no outside alcohol at Bryant Park or CinemaLIC, but permitted in designated areas at some)
• Bring: Low chair or blanket, bug spray, light jacket, labeled water/snacks
• Arrive early: Lawn access is first-come basis—5 PM for Bryant Park, 6 PM for Brooklyn Bridge Park, ~1 hr before sunset for LIC
• Weather policy: Light rain screenings go on; thunderstorms may cancel

🚻 Restroom Facilities

• Bryant Park: Elegant renovated public restrooms on 42nd & 40th Streets
• Roosevelt Island: Portable toilets or Cornell Tech facilities
• Hunters Point: Public restrooms near Ottomanelli’s café
• Prospect Park, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Van Cortlandt, Staten Island: On-site park restroom buildings or portable toilets

🍴 Food & Drinks

🎯 Things to Do Nearby

• Bryant Park: Lawn games, carousel, NYPL, Midtown sights, rooftop bars
• Roosevelt Island: Tram ride, river promenade, Four Freedoms Park
• LIC: Waterfront strolls, Gantry Park, cafés, LIC Flea & Food
• Brooklyn Bridge Park: Walking paths, playgrounds, picnic spots
• Prospect Park: Boating, bandshell concerts, zoo, Picnic House
• Van Cortlandt: Nature walks, birding, playgrounds
• Staten Island: Beach time, Snug Harbor, parks and trails

📅 Event Dates

• Bryant Park: Mon, June 9–Aug 11
• Roosevelt Island: ~4 screenings late June–early August
• LIC – CinemaLIC: Fridays, July–Sept
• Brooklyn Bridge Park: Thurs, July–Aug
• Prospect Park: Wed, late July–Aug
• Van Cortlandt Park: Tues, early July–early August
• Staten Island: Varies; e.g., Lyons Pool screening at end of May

📝 Checklist Before You Go

• Low chair or blanket
• Bug spray & light jacket
• Reusable labeled water/snacks
• Cash/card for food & vendors
• Arrive early for best seating
• Follow site-specific rules on bags, pets, alcohol

🔚 Summary

NYC’s 2025 outdoor movie series offers something for every borough—from cult classics in Bryant Park, family flicks on Roosevelt Island, skyline cinema at LIC, cinematic summer nights in Brooklyn, nostalgic tales in the Bronx, to seasonal screenings in Staten Island. Pack your comfy chair, catch a pre-show stroll or bite nearby, and savor cinema under the stars, NYC‑style.

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