Let’s Go to the Movies

Big-budget blockbusters aren’t the only reason summer is movie season. First of all, dark, air-conditioned rooms are a big plus when the novelty of 90-degree weather wears off. Secondly, movies are an excellent way to keep the kids happy and the family out of the house. We love a good summer movie—whether it’s inside or out—so we’ve dug up five ways to come face to face with the big screen this summer season.

Boulder Outdoor Cinema

1750 13th St., Boulder, boulderoutddoorcinema.com. Saturdays, July 9-Aug. 27, gates open at 7pm; bands start at 7:30pm and movies start at dusk.

The Boulder Outdoor Cinema is a longtime tradition for many Boulderites. Pairing a mix of old-school favorite flicks and new-ish cult phenoms with local bands, this weekly event brings a lively crowd to the parking lot behind the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art. Don’t forget to bring low-back chairs. Movies range from fun and funky to family friendly.
This summer: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Point Break and The Hangover.

Boedecker Theater

Inside the Dairy Center, 2590 Walnut St., 1, Boulder, thedairy.org. Varying times and days.

The Boedecker is the Dairy Center’s new venue for indie flicks, documentaries, foreign films and broadcasts of opera, ballet and theater. It’s an ideal place to find relief from the hot summer nights and to broaden your cinematic horizons. Don’t expect to find over-rated blockbusters here; instead, you’ll discover amazing films you’ve never heard of.

This summer: Queen to Play, Of Gods and Men and North Face.

Longmont Outdoor Cinema

Thompson Park, 4th and Bross streets, Longmont, ci.longmont.co.us/rec/special/. July 16, 23, 30 at 8:30pm.

Longmont’s outdoor movies in the park have become a gathering place for local families. With kid-friendly flicks and a casual, park setting, it’s an ideal community activity on a Saturday night. Bring food and drink (but keep the booze at home).

This summer: Shrek 3, How to Train Your Dragon and Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Erie Movies in the Park

Erie Community Park, Erie. Sept. 11, films begins at dusk.

Twice a summer (the first is in June), the Erie community comes out en masse to see friends and neighbors, rub shoulders with town leaders, check out the balloon artist and face-painter…oh, and watch a movie. The East County township is a new-comer in the world of outdoor cinema, but if anyone can do community events, it’s this suburban hub.

This summer: TBA

FLIC

Boulder Absinthe House, 1109 Walnut St., Boulder, flicboulder.org. The last Wednesday of every month.

This Boulder nonprofit works to bring life back into film—and that means blending cocktails, art, interaction, indie movies, food, performers and cartoons together to create a remarkable experience.

This summer: TBA

Runner up:

Red Rocks’ Film on the Rocks. Local bands accompany a diverse array of flicks—from Scott Pilgrim vs the World to Stop Making Sense.