This is the last night of a twenty-six-year-old Brooklyn summer institution, and the one screening of the season pitched at families rather than the usual rep-cinema crowd. The setting does most of the work: an open lawn on Pier 1 with the skyline, the harbor and the bridge behind the screen. It costs nothing, you can bring your own picnic, and the film is short enough that younger kids make it to the credits.
What to expect
A blanket-and-picnic crowd spread across the Harbor View Lawn, filling in steadily from the moment the lawn opens until the light goes. Sound comes off a stack near the screen and the view competes with the movie for the first half hour. Concessions are available on the pier, and the lawn empties quickly toward the Brooklyn Bridge and Old Fulton Street once the credits roll.
Good to know
- Entry is free and first-come, first-served, with no advance tickets
- Lawn chairs and dogs are not permitted on the lawn, so bring a blanket or a cushion instead
- Glass bottles and outside alcohol are never allowed in the park, though drinks are sold on site for adults
- You may bring your own picnic, and Fornino on the pier sells food and drink
- The film is animated and rated PG, which makes this the most family-oriented night of the series
- Pier 1 is walkable from the Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Heights and the ferry landing at Dumbo
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Common questions
Do I need a ticket?
No. Movies With A View is free and admission to the lawn is first-come, first-served.
What time does the movie actually start?
The lawn opens in the early evening and the film begins at sunset, so arriving early is the only way to secure a good spot.
Can I bring a chair or my dog?
No. Lawn chairs and dogs are not permitted on the Harbor View Lawn; blankets and cushions are the way to sit.
What is screening?
How to Train Your Dragon, the animated feature, closing the twenty-sixth season of the series as a family film night.
