Movies Under the Stars is NYC Parks' free outdoor film series, screening after dusk in parks across all five boroughs from spring through fall. The 2026 season carries more than 300 screenings, mixing family classics and recent hits with documentaries, independent films and shorts about the city's own communities.
Verified August 24 · updated as details are announced
Because the series runs in neighbourhood parks rather than one venue, the right screening is usually the nearest one — most New Yorkers have a park within walking distance hosting a film at some point in the season. Titles skew family-friendly on weekends and get more adventurous midweek, when the documentary and independent programming lands. Lawns are first-come; regulars arrive around sunset for a spot near the middle.
Screenings start when it is dark enough to project, not at a fixed clock time, and that shifts by more than an hour across the season: an August film starts near 8pm, a late-September one closer to 7pm. Listings give a start time, but arriving thirty minutes early costs you nothing and guarantees a seat. Rain cancels; NYC Parks posts cancellations on the park's own page rather than emailing ticket-holders, because there are no tickets.
Yes. Every screening is free and no ticket or registration is required — turn up and sit down.
At dusk, which shifts across the season: roughly 8pm in August and closer to 7pm by late September. Listings carry the exact time for each date.
Screenings are cancelled rather than moved indoors. NYC Parks posts the cancellation on the individual park's event page, so check there on the day if the forecast looks bad.
In parks across all five boroughs — over 300 of them across the 2026 season, so the nearest one is usually close to home.
10 picks · checked Aug 25
Theodore Roosevelt Park, Upper West Side, ManhattanJames Gunn's Superman plays free on the lawn beside the American Museum of Natural History — blanket, skyline, cape.
Theodore Roosevelt Park, Upper West Side, ManhattanJames Gunn's Superman plays free on the lawn beside the American Museum of Natural History — blanket, skyline, cape.
Behagen Playground, Play Area, Morrisania, BronxThe live-action Snow White on a Morrisania playground screen — free, family-sized and starting the minute the sky goes dark.
Behagen Playground, Play Area, Morrisania, BronxThe live-action Snow White on a Morrisania playground screen — free, family-sized and starting the minute the sky goes dark.
Willowbrook Park, Willowbrook, Staten IslandHeist magicians on a big outdoor screen at Willowbrook Park — Staten Island's free movie night, blankets welcome.
Willowbrook Park, Willowbrook, Staten IslandHeist magicians on a big outdoor screen at Willowbrook Park — Staten Island's free movie night, blankets welcome.
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Seward Park, Lower East Side, ManhattanThis photo was taken by participant/team Sheila as part of the Commons:Wikipedia Takes Manhattan project on April 4,... · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsSmurfs screens free in Seward Park at East Broadway and Essex — a Lower East Side blanket-on-the-grass night, starting at dusk.
Seward Park, Lower East Side, ManhattanThis photo was taken by participant/team Sheila as part of the Commons:Wikipedia Takes Manhattan project on April 4,... · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsSmurfs screens free in Seward Park at East Broadway and Essex — a Lower East Side blanket-on-the-grass night, starting at dusk.
Irving Square Park, Bushwick, BrooklynIrving Underhill · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsThe Wild Robot screens free in Irving Square Park at Wilson and Weirfield — blankets on the grass, film starts at dusk.
Irving Square Park, Bushwick, BrooklynIrving Underhill · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsThe Wild Robot screens free in Irving Square Park at Wilson and Weirfield — blankets on the grass, film starts at dusk.
Edenwald Playground, Edenwald, BronxWicked: For Good screens free on the basketball courts at Edenwald Playground — bring a blanket, the film starts at dusk.
Edenwald Playground, Edenwald, BronxWicked: For Good screens free on the basketball courts at Edenwald Playground — bring a blanket, the film starts at dusk.
Detective Keith L Williams Park, Jamaica, Queensmballew109 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsSpongeBob's ghost-pirate adventure screens free at Detective Keith L Williams Park in Jamaica — grab a blanket, it starts at dusk.
Detective Keith L Williams Park, Jamaica, Queensmballew109 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsSpongeBob's ghost-pirate adventure screens free at Detective Keith L Williams Park in Jamaica — grab a blanket, it starts at dusk.
Lemon Creek Park, Prince's Bay, Staten IslandJim.henderson · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsA flock of sheep solves their shepherd's murder — The Sheep Detectives screens free at Lemon Creek Park on the South Shore.
Lemon Creek Park, Prince's Bay, Staten IslandJim.henderson · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsA flock of sheep solves their shepherd's murder — The Sheep Detectives screens free at Lemon Creek Park on the South Shore.
Moore Homestead Playground, Elmhurst, QueensA free outdoor screening of How to Train Your Dragon on a Broadway playground in Elmhurst, one of the season's last park movies.
Moore Homestead Playground, Elmhurst, QueensA free outdoor screening of How to Train Your Dragon on a Broadway playground in Elmhurst, one of the season's last park movies.
Soundview Park: Soundview Park, BronxThe Bronx's Soundview Park transitions from sunset to starlight with an outdoor film screening.
Soundview Park: Soundview Park, BronxThe Bronx's Soundview Park transitions from sunset to starlight with an outdoor film screening.
This list covers the weekend of Aug 29–30, 2026, and it refreshes automatically every week.
Stumblday curates and re-ranks NYC events each week from official venue and city sources — so you get a short, vetted shortlist instead of an endless calendar.
