*Note: Many cities have cancelled, postponed, or modified their summer movies.
One of the great things about Orange County is the mild summer nights that are perfect for enjoying free outdoor movies in the park with friends and family. There are many parks and facilities throughout the Orange County area that offer free movie nights so there is bound to be one close to home. Check the list below to find your city, or one near you, and plan your next outdoor movie night.
Not sure what to expect? Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your movie night under the stars.
- Be sure to arrive early to pick your spot. You don’t want to have to walk around through crowds of people in the dark after the movie has started.
- Bring blankets and low lawn chairs (no taller than 32″ to avoid blocking the view of others).
- Bring layers of clothing – a long sleeved shirt and a light jacket. It can cool of quickly after the sun goes down. If you are attending a movie near the beach bring a heavier layer like a hooded sweatshirt to stay warm in the cool ocean breeze.
- Bring a picnic for dinner and snacks to enjoy during the movie. Most locations will have snack booths available to purchase snacks on site, and many now have food trucks for people to purchase food and drinks.
- Consider leaving the dog at home. While it’s fun to take your best furry friend out and about, not everyone loves dogs. And not every location will allow them. If you must bring the dog, check the location you will be attending before hand to ensure that pets are allowed and, please, always keep your dog on a leash.
- Invite your friends. Movie nights are a great opportunity to get together and enjoy the warm summer evenings with friends and family.
- Leave the alcohol at home. Most locations do not allow alcohol consumption during movie night, and glass containers are prohibited.
The following Summer Movies in the Park include freebies, additional activities, and special events:
- Aliso Viejo events include complimentary face painting from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
- Anaheim movie nights that are sponsored by Disney may include free popcorn and beverages, giveaways, a visit from Disney Ambassadors, trivia games, and hula hooping contests.
- Dana Point movie nights include free popcorn.
- Fountain Valley movie nights at the Fountain Valley Recreation Center include events beginning at 6:00 p.m. with food trucks, games, and a costume contest. A new bike is awarded to the winner of the costume contest.
- Garden Grove events include family activities beginning at 6:00 p.m.
- La Habra movie nights will include Bamboo Kids Club activities.
- Los Alamitos events kick off with a live music concert from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. immediately followed by a family movie and will include raffles, kids’ activities, and food and drinks available for purchase.
- The Newport Coast event at Crystal Cove is hosted by the Crystal Cove Conservancy on the sand outside the Historic District’s “Beaches” Film & Media Center and “Beaches” Cottage #13. Visitors will learn about Crystal Cove’s role in the film industry and enjoy a unique movie night.
- Tustin movie nights will feature pre-movie activities from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Free Outdoor Movies in Orange County
| Date | Day | Time | Movie | Location | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 15 | Saturday | Dusk | Toy Story 4 | East Side Community Park | Yorba Linda |
| June 4 | Friday | 8 pm | Jumanji: The Next Level | Lantern Bay Park | Dana Point |
| June 11 | Friday | 8 pm | The Sandlot | Lantern Bay Park | Dana Point |
| June 11 | Friday | 7PM | The One And Only Ivan | Pacific Hills Calvary Chapel | Aliso Viejo |
| June 17 | Thursday | 8:30 PM | Jumanji (1995) | Garden Grove Park | Garden Grove |
| June 18 | Friday | 8:00 PM | Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse | Ikea Parking Lot | Costa Mesa |
| June 18 | Friday | 8:00 PM | The Croods: A New Age | Vista Hermosa Sports Park | San Clemente |
| June 18 | Friday | 8:00 PM | The Neverending Story | Craig Regional Park | Fullerton/OC Parks |
| June 18 | Friday | 8:00 PM | The Croods - A New Age | Lantern Bay Park | Dana Point |
| June 18 | Friday | 8:15 PM | Frozen | Arovista Park Amphitheatre | Brea |
| June 19 | Saturday | Dusk | Trolls World Tour | East Side Community Park | Yorba Linda |
| June 25 | Friday | 8 PM | How To Train Your Dragon | Carbon Canyon Regional Park | Brea/OC Parks |
| June 25 | Friday | 8:15 PM | Big Hero 6 | Arovista Park Amphitheatre | Brea |
| June 25 | Friday | 8 pm | Abominable | Lantern Bay Park | Dana Point |
| June 25 | Friday | Dusk Start | The Croods: A New Age | Rush Park | Rossmoor |
| June 26 | Saturday | Dusk Start | Mary Poppins Returns | Little Cottonwood Park | Los Alamitos |
| June 26 | Saturday | Dusk Start | The War With Grandpa | OC Great Park/Terraced lawn | Irvine |
| July 1 | Thursday | 8:30 pm | Independence Day | Garden Grove Park | Garden Grove |
| July 2 | Friday | 8 pm | Independence Day (1996) | Carbon Canyon Regional Park | Brea/OC Parks |
| July 9 | Friday | 8 PM | Dolittle (2020) | Yorba Regional Park | Anaheim/OC Parks |
| July 9 | Friday | 8 PM | Star Wars: The Force Awakens | Vista Hermosa Sports Park | San Clemente |
| July 9 | Friday | Dusk Start | How To Train Your Dragon | Cedar Grove Park | Tustin |
| July 9 | Friday | Dusk Start | Tangled | Champions Sports Complex | Placentia |
| July 9 | Friday | 8 pm | The Lion King | Stanton Central Park | Stanton |
| July 10 | Saturday | Dusk Start | Trolls World Tour | OC Great Park/Terraced Lawn | Irvine |
| July 14 | Wednesday | Dusk Start | Toy Story 4 | Jerome Park | Santa Ana |
| July 15 | Thursday | 8:30 pm | Hook | Garden Grove Park | Garden Grove |
| July 16 | Friday | 6 pm | The Sandlot | Yorba Park | Anaheim/OC Parks |
| July 16 | Friday | Dusk Start | Moana | Cesar Chavez Campesino Park | Santa Ana |
| July 16 | Friday | Dusk | Despicable Me | Camino Real Park | Tustin |
| July 16 | Friday | 8 PM | Trolls World Tour | Stanton Central Park | Stanton |
| July 17 | Saturday | Dusk Start | Rya and the Last Dragon | OC Great Park/Terraced Lawn | Irvine |
| July 17 | Saturday | Dusk | The Croods: A New Age | East Side Community Park | Yorba Linda |
| July 21 | Wednesday | Dusk Start | Abominable | Rosita Park | Santa Ana |
| July 23 | Friday | Dusk Start | Aladdin | Thornton Park | Santa Ana |
| July 23 | Friday | Dusk Start | Onward | Rush Park | Rossmoor |
| July 23 | Friday | Dusk Start | Raya And The Last Dragon | Champions Sports Complex | Placentia |
| July 23 | Friday | Dusk | Croods 2 | Veterans Sports Park | Tustin |
| July 23 | Friday | 6 pm | Toy Story 4 | Mason Regional Park | Irvine/OC Parks |
| July 23 | Friday | 8 pm | New Release TBA | Stanton Central Park | Stanton |
| July 23 | Friday | 8 pm | The Little Giants | The Commons | Aliso Viejo |
| July 23 | Friday | Dusk start | My Spy | Montwood Park | La Habra |
| July 24 | Saturday | Dusk Start | Up! | Little Cottonwood Park | Los Alamitos |
| July 24 | Saturday | Dusk Start | Star Wars Night | Crown Valley Park Amphitheater | Laguna Niguel |
| July 28 | Wednesday | Dusk Start | Mary Poppins Returns | Edna Park | Santa Ana |
| July 29 | Thursday | 8:30 pm | Jurassic Park | Garden Grove Park | Garden Grove |
| July 30 | Friday | Dusk Start | Raiders of the Lost Ark | Portola Park | Santa Ana |
| July 30 | Friday | 8 pm | New Release TBA | Stanton Central Park | Stanton |
| July 30 | Friday | 6pm | Willow | Mason Regional Park | Irvine/OC Parks |
| July 30 | Friday | Dusk Start | Shrek | Tustin Sports Park | Tustin |
| July 30 | Friday | Dusk Start | Sonic The Hedgehog | Boisseranc Park | Buena Park |
| July 30 | Friday | 7:30 pm | Raya and the Last Dragon | Sports Park and Rec Center | Lake Forest |
| August 3 | Tuesday | Dusk Start | Trolls World Tour | Fountain Valley Recreational Center | Fountain Valley |
| August 4 | Wednesday | Dusk Start | The Jungle Book | Santiago Park | Santa Ana |
| August 6 | Friday | Dusk Start | Selena | Memorial Park | Santa Ana |
| August 6 | Friday | 8PM | The Lion King (2019) | Irvine Regional Park | Irvine/OC Parks |
| August 6 | Friday | Dusk Start | Monsters, Inc. | Crown Valley Park Amphitheater | Laguna Niguel |
| August 6 | Friday | 8 pm | Detective Pikachu | Stanton Central Park | Stanton |
| August 6 | Friday | Dusk Start | Coco | Champions Sports Complex | Placentia |
| August 6 | Friday | Dusk Start | Lego Batman | Tustin Hangar **Drive-In** Preregistration required | Tustin |
| August 11 | Wednesday | Dusk Start | Lion King | Lillie King Park | Santa Ana |
| August 13 | Friday | Dusk Start | Frozen 2 | El Salvador Park | Santa Ana |
| August 13 | Friday | 6 pm | The Mighty Ducks | Irvine Regional Park | Orange/OC Parks |
| August 13 | Friday | Dusk Start | Onward | Boisseranc Park | Buena Park |
| TBA | Friday | 7:45 pm | Star Wars: Episode VI Return Of The Jedi | Twila Reid Park | Anaheim |
| August 14 | Saturday | Dusk Start | The Croods: A New Age | OC Great Park/Terraced Lawn | Irvine |
| August 14 | Saturday | 7:30PM | Frozen 2 | Rancho Santa Margarita Central Park | Rancho Santa Margarita |
| August 15 | Sunday | Dusk start | Sonic The Hedgehog | Oeste Park | La Habra |
| August 18 | Wednesday | Dusk Start | Trolls World Tour | El Salvador Park | Santa Ana |
| August 20 | Friday | Dusk Start | Raya And The Last Dragon | Delhi Park | Santa Ana |
| August 20 | Friday | Dusk Start | Raya And The Last Dragon | Rush Park | Rossmoor |
| August 20 | Friday | Dusk Start | 2021 Incredibles | Champions Sports Complex | Placentia |
| August 20 | Friday | 8PM | Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker | Laguna Niguel Regional Park | Orange/OC Parks |
| August 20 | Friday | 7PM | Frozen 2 | Bonita Canyon Park | Newport Beach |
| August 21 | Saturday | Dusk Start | Angels In The Outfield | OC Great Park/Terraced Lawn | Irvine |
| August 21 | Saturday | Dusk | Abominable | Hurless Barton Park | Yorba Linda |
| August 21 | Saturday | 8PM | Kiss The Ground | Crown Valley Park Amphitheater | Laguna Niguel |
| August 25 | Wednesday | Dusk Start | Incredibles 2 | Madison Park | Santa Ana |
| August 27 | Friday | 7:30 pm | Scoob | Sports Park and Rec Center | Lake Forest |
| August 27 | Friday | Dusk Start | Jurassic World | Portola Park | La Habra |
| August 27 | Friday | Dusk Start | The Croods: A New Age | Boisseranc Park | Buena Park |
| August 27 | Friday | 8PM | Hook (1991) | Laguna Niguel Park | Laguna Niguel/OC Parks |
| August 27 | Friday | Dusk Start | Coco | Centennial Park | Santa Ana |
| August 27 | Friday | 7:30PM | Trolls World Tour | Aliso Viejo Middle School | Aliso Viejo |
| September 3 | Friday | 8PM | Dolphin Tale | Salt Creek Beach | Laguna Niguel/OC Parks |
| September 3 | Friday | Dusk Start | Lion King (Animated) | Champions Sports Complex | Placentia |
| September 10 | Friday | 8PM | The Little Mermaid | Salt Creek Beach | Dana Point/OC Parks |
| September 10 | Friday | Dusk Start | Trolls World Tour | Boisseranc Park | Buena Park |
| September 10 | Friday | Dusk Start | Raya And The Last Dragon | Grant Howald Park | Newport Beach |
| September 17 | Friday | Dusk Start | Tom & Jerry | Rush Park | Rossmoor |
| September 17 | Friday | Dusk Start | Soul | Loma Norte Park | La Habra |
| September 17 | Friday | 7PM | TBA | Civic Center Green | Cypress |
| September 18 | Saturday | Dusk | Onward | Hurless Barton Park | Yorba Linda |
| October 16 | Saturday | Dusk | Cars 3 | Hurless Barton Park | Yorba Linda |
| October 22 | Friday | Dusk Start | Onward | Our Lady Of Guadalupe Church | La Habra |
| TBA | Saturday | 8 pm | 13 Going On 30 | Fairhaven Memorial Park | Santa Ana |
Additional Paid or Visitor Only Outdoor Movies
Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina offers movies on the beach every weekend from May 2021 through September. Movie nights are complimentary to RV Park and Marina guests who have paid to stay. Visit the website to see the movie schedule.
Pacific City Summer Movies feature popular movies the whole family will love. The event is free and hosted on the upper deck of the shopping center at the Surf Theater, but guests will have to pay for parking. Bring blankets and lawn chairs and arrive early to get a spot. All shows begin at 7:00 p.m.
Pacific City Movie Schedule:
2021 Movies TBA
Related Articles
| Orange County Drive-In Events | What to Do This Weekend in OC |
| Free Summer Concerts | Date Ideas in Orange County |
| Best Regional Parks in Orange County | Beach Bonfires & Fire Pits in Orange County |
