Cinema Under the Stars

When summer rolls around, there’s nothing better than sitting under the stars and watching a movie. Well, almost nothing. You’ll definitely get bonus points for bringing a picnic basket, a bottle of wine and some good friends. We looked around our hometown and more to find where you can see some outdoor screenings this summer.

Chicago: Time Out Chicago has a great roundup of that city’s summer screenings, which include family-friendly favorites like the Wizard of Oz and The Tale of Despereaux. Check back weekly for more listings.

LA: Okay, so the weather is almost always perfect in Los Angeles, but that doesn’t mean they don’t celebrate summer out west. Every Monday see a free classic movie with Free for All Movie Mondays at the Orange County Performing Arts Center.

London:View London has compiled a list of this summer’s outdoor film festivals throughout London.

New York: The city is full of free places to see films outside in the summer, and year after year Rooftop Films is one of our favorite. This year, the festival premiers 20 films. If classic cinema is more your thing, The Bryant Park Film Festival runs Mondays through August 17. Doors open daily at 5 p.m., films start at dusk. Riverflicks just kicked off their 2009 season with separate screenings for kids and grown ups. On Wednesdays at 8:30, head to Summer on the Hudson, while Thursday is all about Brooklyn Bridge Movie with a View.

Philadelphia: Through September 9, the folks at the South Street Headhouse District‘s Summer Outdoor Screenings encourage you to “Bring Your Own Chair,” for their weekly Wednesday night screenings.

Toronto: Every Tuesday through September 1, head to downtown Toronto’s Yonge-Dundas Square for the Adrenaline Rush festival.

Photo: iStock