*Note: This list is being updated as events are being announced.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 17 | Friday | 6 PM | Sing 2 | Crown Valley Park Amphitheatre | Laguna Niguel |
| March 31 | Friday | 6 PM | Sing 2 | Aliso Viejo Middle School | Aliso Viejo |
| April 21 | Friday | 7 PM | Lightyear (PG) | Florista & Pine Street | Los Alamitos |
| April 28 | Friday | Dusk start | Jurassic World Domination | Portola Park | La Habra |
| April 28 | Friday | 7 PM | Puss in Boots - The Last Wish | Florista & Pine Street | Los Alamitos |
| May 5 | Friday | 7 PM | Hotel Transylvania Transformania | Florista & Pine Street | Los Alamitos |
| May 12 | Friday | 7 PM | Back to the Future | Florista & Pine Street | Los Alamitos |
| May 12 | Friday | 6 PM | Abominable | Fountain Valley Sports Park | Fountain Valley |
| May 19 | Friday | Dusk | Lightyear | Marina Park | Newport Beach |
| May 19 | Friday | Dusk start | Puss in Boots: The Last Wish | El Centro Park | La Habra |
| May 20 | Saturday | Dusk | Minions: Rise of Gru | Eastside Community Park | Yorba Linda |
| June 2 | Friday | Dusk Start | Lego Batman | Centennial Park | Santa Ana |
| June 2 | Friday | 8 pm | Neverending Story | Lantern Bay Park | Dana Point |
| June 8 | Thursday | 8 pm | Greatest Showman | Shaeffer Park | Orange |
| June 9 | Friday | 8 pm | Minions: Rise of Gru | Lantern Bay Park | Dana Point |
| June 9 | Friday | Sunset | Thor: Love and Thunder | Craig Regional Park | OC Parks |
| June 9 | Friday | Dusk Start | Puss in Boots: The Last Wish | Roosevelt Walker Park | Santa Ana |
| June 9 | Friday | Dusk Start | Puss in Boots: The Last Wish | Grand Park | Aliso Viejo |
| June 9 | Friday | 8 pm | Puss in Boots: The Last Wish | Civic Center Green | Cypress |
| June 16 | Friday | Dusk Start | Sandlot | Thornton Park | Santa Ana |
| June 16 | Friday | 8 PM | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Brea Civic & Cultural Center | Brea |
| June 16 | Friday | Dusk start | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Oeste Park | La Habra |
| June 16 | Friday | 8:00 PM | Puss in Boots: The Last Wish | Lantern Bay Park | Dana Point |
| June 16 | Friday | Sunset | A Bug's Life | Craig Regional Park | OC Parks |
| June 16 | Friday | Dusk Start | Puss in Boots: The Last Wish | Boisseranc Park | Buena Park |
| June 16 | Friday | Dusk Start | TBD | Rush Park | Rossmoor |
| June 16 | Friday | 7:30 pm | DC League of Superpets | Sports Park and Rec Center | Lake Forest |
| June 17 | Saturday | Dusk | DC League Of Super Pets | Hurless Barton Park | Yorba Linda |
| June 17 | Saturday | Sunset | Puss in Boots: The Last Wish | Lions Park | Costa Mesa |
| June 23 | Friday | Dusk Start | Zootopia | Prentice Park | Santa Ana |
| June 23 | Friday | Dusk Start | Superpets | Grand Park | Aliso Viejo |
| June 23 | Friday | 8 pm | Lyle, Lyle Crocodile | Lantern Bay Park | Dana Point |
| June 23 | Friday | Sunset | Minions: The Rise Of Gru | Carbon Canyon Regional Park | OC Parks |
| June 23 | Friday | 8 PM | UP | Brea Civic & Cultural Center | Brea |
| June 24 | Saturday | Dusk | Puss in Boots: The Last Wish | OC Great Park/Terraced lawn | Irvine |
| June 30 | Friday | Dusk Start | Beauty & The Beast: Live Action | El Salvador Park | Santa Ana |
| June 30 | Friday | 8 pm | Luca | Lantern Bay Park | Dana Point |
| June 30 | Friday | 8 PM | Encanto | Brea Civic & Cultural Center | Brea |
| June 30 | Friday | Sunset | Ferris Bueller's Day Off | Carbon Canyon Regional Park | OC Parks |
| June 30 | Friday | Dusk Start | Smurfs: The Lost Village | Champions Sports Complex | Placentia |
| July | Saturday | 8 PM | TBD | Fairhaven Memorial Park | Santa Ana |
| July 7 | Friday | Dusk Start | Night at the Museum | Jerome Park | Santa Ana |
| July 7 | Friday | 8:30 pm | Lightyear | Eastgate Park | Garden Grove |
| July 7 | Friday | Sunset | Top Gun: Maverick | Yorba Regional Park | OC Parks |
| July 7 | Friday | 7 pm | Minions: The Rise Of Gru | Stanton Central Park | Stanton |
| July 7 | Friday | 7:30 pm | Tom & Jerry The Movie | Sports Park and Rec Center | Lake Forest |
| July 8 | Saturday | Dusk Start | Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile | OC Great Park/Terraced Lawn | Irvine |
| July 8 | Friday | Dusk Start | Secret Life of Pets 2 | Cedar Grove Park | Tustin |
| July 14 | Friday | Dusk Start | Coco | Portola Park | Santa Ana |
| July 14 | Friday | Dusk Start | A League of Their Own | Grand Park | Aliso Viejo |
| July 14 | Friday | Sunset | Clueless | Yorba Regional Park | OC Parks |
| July 14 | Friday | 7 PM | Puss In Boots The Last Wish | Stanton Central Park | Stanton |
| July 14 | Friday | Dusk Start | TBA | Rush Park | Rossmoor |
| July 14 | Friday | Dusk Start | Luca | Boisseranc Park | Buena Park |
| July 14 | Friday | Dusk Start | Cars | Champions Sports Complex | Placentia |
| July 15 | Saturday | Sunset | Minions: The Rise Of Gru | Baleric Park | Costa Mesa |
| July 15 | Saturday | Dusk | Sonic The Hedgehog 2 | Hurless Barton Park | Yorba Linda |
| July 15 | Saturday | Dusk Start | Minions: The Rise of Gru | OC Great Park/Terraced Lawn | Irvine |
| July 15 | Friday | Dusk | Homeward Bound | Victory Park | Tustin |
| July 21 | Friday | 8:00 PM | Puss in Boots: The Last Wish | Brea Civic & Cultural Center | Brea |
| July 21 | Friday | Sunset | Lightyear | Irvine Regional Park | OC Parks |
| July 21 | Friday | Dusk | Minions: The Rise of Gru | Mariners Park | Newport Beach |
| July 21 | Friday | Dusk start | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever | Portola Park | La Habra |
| July 21 | Friday | 7 pm | Turning Red | Stanton Central Park | Stanton |
| July 21 | Friday | 7:30PM | TBA | Rancho Santa Margarita Central Park | Rancho Santa Margarita |
| July 22 | Friday | Dusk | Frankenweenie | Tustin Sports Park | Tustin |
| July 28 | Friday | Dusk Start | Kung Fu Panda | Champions Sports Complex | Placentia |
| July 28 | Friday | 8:00 PM | The Super Mario Bros. Movie | Brea Civic & Cultural Center | Brea |
| July 28 | Friday | Dusk Start | Field of Dreams | Grand Park | Aliso Viejo |
| July 28 | Friday | Sunset | Nacho Libre | Irvine Regional Park | OC Parks |
| July 28 | Friday | 7 pm | Lightyear | Stanton Central Park | Stanton |
| July 29 | Friday | Dusk Start | Bolt | Veterans Sports Park | Tustin |
| July 28 | Friday | Dusk Start | Minions: The Rise of Gru | Boisseranc Park | Buena Park |
| August | Saturday | 8 PM | TBD | Fairhaven Memorial Park | Santa Ana |
| August 1 | Tuesday | Dusk start | Lightyear | Portola Park | La Habra |
| August 1 | Tuesday | Dusk Start | 2023 TBA | Fountain Valley Sports Park | Fountain Valley |
| August 4 | Friday | 8:15 PM | Puss in Boots: The Last Wish | Murdy Park | Huntington Beach |
| August 4 | Friday | Dusk | Sonic The Hedgehog 2 | Central Park | La Palma |
| August 4 | Friday | Sunset | Cruella | Mason Regional Park | OC Parks |
| August 4 | Friday | 6 pm | The Bad Guys | Stanton Central Park | Stanton |
| August 5 | Friday | Dusk Start | 101 Dalmatians | Tustin Hangar Preregistration required | Tustin |
| August 11 | Friday | Dusk Start | Sonic The Hedgehog 2 | Edison Park | Huntington Beach |
| August 11 | Friday | Dusk Start | Minions: The Rise of Gru | Champions Sports Complex | Placentia |
| August 11 | Friday | Dusk | Trolls | Central Park | La Palma |
| August 11 | Friday | 8:30 pm | Top Gun Maverick | Garden Grove Park | Garden Grove |
| August 11 | Friday | Dusk Start | Turning Red | Grand Park | Aliso Viejo |
| August 11 | Friday | Sunset | Kung Fu Panda | Mason Regional Park | OC Parks |
| August 11 | Friday | 7:30PM | TBA | Rancho Santa Margarita Central Park | Rancho Santa Margarita |
| August 11 | Friday | Dusk Start | Encanto | Boisseranc Park | Buena Park |
| August 18 | Friday | Dusk Start | DC: League of Super Pets | Lake Park | Huntington Beach |
| August 18 | Friday | Dusk | Coco | Central Park | La Palma |
| August 18 | Friday | Dusk start | Super Mario Brothers Movie | El Centro-Lions Park | La Habra |
| August 18 | Friday | 7PM | Turning Red | Cliff Drive Park | Newport Beach |
| August 18 | Friday | Sunset | Spider-Man: No Way Home | Laguna Niguel Regional Park | OC Parks |
| August 19 | Saturday | Sunset | Cars | Woolett Aquatics Center | Irvine |
| August 19 | Saturday | Sunset | Sonic The Hedgehog 2 | Tewinkle Park | Costa Mesa |
| August 19 | Saturday | Dusk | Lightyear | Hurless Barton Park | Yorba Linda |
| August 11 | Friday | 7:30 pm | Sonic The Hedgehog 2 | Sports Park and Rec Center | Lake Forest |
| August 25 | Friday | Dusk Start | The Super Mario Bros. Movie | Worthy Park | Huntington Beach |
| August 25 | Friday | Dusk | Super Mario Bros. | Central Park | La Palma |
| August 25 | Friday | Sunset | Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971) | Laguna Niguel Regional Park | OC Parks |
| August 25 | Friday | Dusk Start | Puss in Boots: The Last Wish | Champions Sports Complex | Placentia |
| September 1 | Friday | Sunset | Uncharted | Bluff Park at Salt Creek Beach | OC Parks |
| September 8 | Friday | Dusk Start | The Bad Guys | Irvine Terrace park | Newport Beach |
| September 8 | Friday | Dusk start | Minions: The Rise of Gru | Oeste Park | La Habra |
| September 8 | Friday | Sunset | Mamma Mia! | Bluff Park at Salt Creek Beach | OC Parks |
| September 8 | Friday | Dusk Start | People's Choice | Champions Sports Complex | Placentia |
| September 16 | Saturday | Dusk | Puss in Boots: The Last Wish | Eastside Community Park | Yorba Linda |
| October 21 | Saturday | Dusk | Hotel Transylvania: Transformania | Hurless Barton Park | Yorba Linda |
Additional Paid or Visitor Only Outdoor Movies
Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina may offer movies on the beach every weekend from May 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 may 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.
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