Downtown Grand Rapids names Movies in the Park lineup

Downtown Grand Rapids names Movies in the Park lineup

Catherine Zeta-Jones as "Elena Montero" in the 1998 film "The Mask of Zorro." Photo via fb.com

Break out the popcorn, Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. has announced its summer Movies in the Park lineup.

The free movie series will be shown at Ah-Nab-Awen Park in downtown Grand Rapids throughout the summer, with pre-movie entertainment beginning at 7 p.m. and the movies starting at dusk.

Lineup

June 3: “Wizard of Oz”

June 17: “Men in Black”

July 8: “A League of Their Own”

July 22: “The Mask of Zorro”

Aug. 5: “Edward Scissorhands”

Aug. 19: double feature: “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and a to-be-determined voter-choice movie

Public voting to select the voter-choice film will open June 3.

New this summer

Downtown Grand Rapids Inc., or DGRI, said that this summer it will experiment with three new elements of its Movies in the Park program to "continue growing a more “inclusive, welcoming and sustainable event:

  • Including subtitles for Spanish-speaking attendees and people with hearing impairments. Spanish subtitles will accompany the films played on June 3, July 8 and Aug. 5. English subtitles will accompany films played on June 17, July 22 and Aug. 19
  • Partnering with the High Five Program to increase recycling rates, divert waste from landfills and work toward achieving a zero-waste event
  • Partnering with a Coalition for Tobacco Free Parks to promote the importance of fresh air, raise awareness of tobacco-use prevention and support clean parks

The program

Movies in the Park is now in its fourth season.

In 2015, DGRI said the series of six events brought more than 31,000 people to Ah-Nab-Awen Park and drove an estimated $664,000 in consumer spending into the downtown economy.