What’s better than watching movies under the stars? Watching free movies under the stars. So save some money, spend a little time outdoors and take in a family-friendly flick. If the kids get restless, they can always take a break and look for lightning bugs. Have fun out there! (While most movies listed here are rated G or PG, some may be PG-13 or have heavier themes for kids, so remember to check before you go.)
Asbury Park
A 4,300-square-foot rooftop space on the 6th floor of the Asbury Hotel blanketed in artificial lawn, Baronet turns into an outdoor cinema, a modern “carless” drive-in, open to the public showing a variety of movies projected on the 20-foot movie wall.
Avalon
Enjoy a movie down the shore at Avalon Recreation Department’s Beach Movies every Tuesday throughout the summer. Movies will be screened at 30th Street & the beach at dusk.Â
June 27: Minions: The Rise of Gru
July 11: Jurassic World: Dominion
July 18: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
July 25: National Lampoons Christmas Vacation
Aug. 1: Sing 2
Aug. 8: Jaws
Aug. 15: Top Gun: Maverick
Aug. 22: The Little Giants
Aug. 29: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Belmar Movies on the Beach
Movies are screened on the 7th Avenue Beach at dusk on Wednesdays, July 5 to Aug. 30.
July 5 – Finding Nemo
July 12 – Alladin (2019)
July 19 – Encanto
July 26 – The Lego Movie
August 2 – Mary Poppins
August 9 – E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
August 16 – Inside Out
August 23 – Puss In Boots
August 30 – Enchanted
Clifton
July 29 at Weasel Brook Park
Bring a blanket, some snacks and your family and enjoy a movie under the stars. Movie title TBA.
East Windsor
July 29 at 7 pm at Etra Lake Park
Family-Night-In-The-Park will offer inflatable rides and games for the kids before a large-screen showing of Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile.
Fort Lee Summer 2023 Concert & Movie Series
Movies will be held at the Jack Alter Fort Lee Community Center starting at 8:30 pm.
July 13 – Elvis
July 20 – Puss in Boots
July 27 – Jaws
Aug. 3 – Dirty Dancing
Aug. 10 – 80 For Brady
Aug. 17 – Top Gun Maverick
Aug 24 – Black Panther – Wakanda Forever
Aug 31 – Finding Nemo
Freehold Family Movie Night
Movies are shown on Wednesdays, June 21 to Aug. 23, in front of the Hall of Records in Downtown Freehold. Movies begin at 8:30 p.m.
June 28: Pretty in Pink
July 5: Home Alone
July 12: Men in Black II
July 19: The Karate Kid Part II
July 26: Spaceballs (1987)
Aug 2: Encanto
Aug 9: Moana
Aug 16: The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride
Aug 23: Toy Story 2
Gloucester County Movies in the Park
Movies are screened throughout the county on select Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights. All movies begin at dusk, around 8-8:30 pm.
Friday, June 23 – Scotland Run Park – Shrek
Scotland Run Park, 980 E Academy St, Clayton
Monday, June 26- Wenonah – Sing 2
Wenonah Lake, Maple St & Ogden Rd, Wenonah
Wednesday, June 28 – Westville – Hotel Transylvania: Transformia
Galbraith Park, River Dr, Westville
Friday, June 30- Washington Twp – DC League of Super Pets
Washington Lake Park, 626 Hurffville-Crosskeys Rd, Sewell
Friday, July 7- Glassboro – Puss in Boots: Last Wish
New Street Park, 410 East New Street, Glassboro
Wednesday, July 19 – Swedesboro – Minions: The Rise of Gru
Swedesboro Auction Block, 400 Anderson Ave, Swedesboro
Friday, July 21 – Red Bank Battlefield – Tom & Jerry (2021)
Red Bank Battlefield, 100 Hessian Ave, National Park
Monday, July 24 – Woodbury – The Bad Guys
Bell Lake, 201 S. Girard Street, Woodbury
Wednesday, July 26- South Harrison – Sing 2
Stewart Park, 67 Ferrell Rd, Mullica Hill
Friday, July 28 – Woodbury Heights – The Mitchells vs The Machines
Veteran’s Park, W. Jersey Ave & Elm Ave, Woodbury Heights
Monday, July 31 – Mantua – Sing 2
Chestnut Branch Park, 545 Main St, Mantua
Friday, Aug. 4 – Paulsboro – Lightyear
Fort Billings Park, Clonmel Rd & Delaware St, Paulsboro
Wednesday, Aug. 9 – West Deptford – DC League of Super Pets
River Winds Community Center, 1000 Riverwinds Drive, West Deptford
Friday, Aug. 11 – Clayton – DC League of Super Pets
DJ Bentz Memorial Soccer Complex , 1 Garwood Blvd, Clayton
Friday, Aug. 18 – Franklinville – The Mitchells vs The Machines
Franklin Twp Sports Complex, 500 Pennsylvania Ave, Franklinville
Wednesday, Aug. 23 – National Park – The Bad Guys
National Park Ballfields, 700 St Johns Walk, National Park
Friday, Aug. 25 – Pitman – Minions: The Rise of Gru
Sunset Auditorium, Laurel Ave, Pitman
Friday, Sep. 1 – Harrison Twp – Sing 2
Ella Harris Park, 155 Commissioners Road, Mullica Hill
Hawthorne
June 30 at Goffle Brook Park
Bring a blanket, some snacks and your family and enjoy a movie under the stars. Movie title TBA.
The Highland Park Outdoor Movie Theater
212 Raritan Ave.
Movies shown at 9 pm.
July 8 – Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
July 22 – Aliens
Aug. 5 – Moonstruck
Aug. 19 – Don’t Think I’ve Forgotten: Cambodia’s Lost Rock and Roll
Sept. 2 – Withnail and I
Hoboken Movies Under the Stars
Pier A Park, 100 Sinatra Drive
June 28: Top Gun: Maverick
July 12: Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris
July 19: Elvis
July 26: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Aug. 2: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
Northwest Resiliency Park, 1200 Adams Street
June 21: Turning Red
7th + Jackson Resiliency Park
700 Jackson Street
Aug. 9: Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
Aug. 16: Super Mario Bros. Movie
June 27: Lightyear, Thomas McGovern Park
June 29: Frozen 2, Riverview Fisk Park
July 7: The Bad Guys, Columbia Park
July 11: Marcel The Shell With Shoes, Audubon Park
July 13: The Bad Guys, Ercel Web Park
July 18: Curious George: Follow That Monkey, Pershing Field
July 19: Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, Bayside Park
July 20: Soul, Arlington Park
July 25: The Bad Guys, Sgt. Anthony Park
July 27: Frozen 2, Boyd McGuiness Park
Aug. 3: Encanto: Triangle Park
Aug. 8: Marcel The Shell With Shoes, Village Park
Aug. 10: Forbidden Planet, Harsimus Cemetery Park
Lavallette
Movies are shown at sunset, around 8:30 pm, on the bay. In the event of inclement weather, the screenings move indoors to the Lavallette First Aid Building at 8 pm. Movie schedule subject to change.
July 4: Top Gun Maverick
July 11: Puss in Boots Last Wish
July 18: Minions Rise of Gru
July 25: DC Super-Pets
August 1: Jurassic World Dominion
August 8: Turning Red
August 15: Lightyear
August 22: Black Panther Wakanda Forever
August 29: Super Mario Bros.
Margate
Margate’s Thrilling Thursdays includes a variety of movies on Thursdays, from July 6 to Aug. 31. Movies begin at 7:30 pm. Free recreational cornhole play begins at 6 pm. Rain date is usually the next day.
July 6: Minions: Rise of Gru
July 13: Top Gun: Maverick
July 20: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
July 27: Elf
Aug. 3: Lilo & Stitch
Aug. 10: Jaws
Aug 17: The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Aug. 24: Lightyear
Aug. 31: Hotel Transylvania 4
Mercer County Park Commission
Mercer County Park Commission is offering free movies under the stars on Saturday nights in August and September. Movies begin at 7:30 pm.
Aug. 5: Vivo, South Riverwalk Park
Aug. 12: DC League of Super Pets, Festival Grounds
Aug. 19: Wakanda Forever, Festival Grounds
Aug. 26: Ant Man & The Wasp, Cadwalader Park
Sept. 2: Puss in Boots, Festival Grounds
Sept. 9: Strange World, Rosedale Park
Sept. 16: Ghostbusters, Grandparent’s Grove (Drive-in)
Sept. 24: Jumanji: The Next Level, Festival Grounds
Monclair Film
Montclair Film’s Movie Night Under The Stars returns. All venues open at 7 pm and films will begin at sundown.
July 16: Top Gun: Maverick, Lackawanna Plaza
Aug. 6: The Goonies, Essex County Anderson Park.
Aug 26: Encanto, Essex County Brookdale Park (Archery Field)
Point Pleasant
Jenkinson’s Movies on the Beach takes place on the beach across from the boardwalk each Tuesday throughout the summer. Movies begin at dusk.
June 27 – The Lion King (1994 Animated)
July 11 – The Minions: The Rise of Gru
July 18 – Jaws
July 25 – Elf
Aug. 1 – Encanto
Aug. 8 – Lightyear
Aug. 15 – Top Gun: Maverick
Aug. 22 – Hocus Pocus
Aug. 29 – Cars 3
Princeton Movie Nights on the Green
Movies are screened on Palmer Square at dusk. Come early for upscale shopping or al fresco dining. Bring your own chair or blanket.
July 14: Freaky Friday
Aug. 4: Luca
Princeton University Art Museum
This year’s outdoor film series features musical films from across the decades. All screenings begin at sundown, approximately 8 pm, on campus at Alexander Beach, located behind Alexander Hall. Bring chairs or blankets. Popcorn will be provided.
June 29: North by Northwest
July 13: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
August 3: March of the Penguins
Ridgewood
The Ridgewood Guild’s Movies in the Park event offers complimentary Ben & Jerry’s ice cream to attendees. Arrive about 30 minutes ahead of showtime to find a good spot for your chair or blanket.
June 28: The Sting (9 pm)
July 5: Footloose (9 pm)
July 19: Pirates of the Caribbean (9 pm)
Aug. 2: Man of Steel (8:15 pm)
Aug 16: Sunset Boulevard (8:15 pm)
Sea Isle City
Free Family Movie Under the Stars takes place on Wednesdays at Excursion Park.Â
July 5: Minions: The Rise of Gru
July 12: The Bad Guys
July 19: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
July 26: How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Aug 2: DC League of Super Pets
Aug 9: Lightyear
Aug 16: Jurassic World Domination
Aug 23: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
Aug 30: Top Gun Maverick
Somerville’s Starlit Cinema
Watch a movie on a giant screen with a state-of-the-art sound system.
8:30-10:30 pm Thursdays, July 7 – August 11, on Division Street
South Brunswick
Enjoy food trucks and an inflatable obstacle course prior to the movie, which will be shown at sunset around 8:30 pm. Bring a lawn chair, blanket and picnic.
June 30: Super Pets
July 14: Top Gun: Maverick
Aug 11: Jungle Cruise
South Orange
South Orange’s Moonlit Movies are held at Floods Hill in Meadowland Park. Films are screened on Wednesdays in August at 8 pm. Movie titles to be announced.
West Milford
July 7 at Camp Hope
August 18 at Camp Hope
Bring a blanket, some snacks and your family and enjoy a movie under the stars. Movie title TBA.
Wildwood
Free family movie nights take place every Tuesday at Byrne Plaza in Downtown Wildwood, starting with Straight Outta Nowhere: Scooby-Doo Meets Courage the Cowardly Dog on June 27. More titles will be announced.
Woodland Park
September 1 at Garret Mountain
Bring a blanket, some snacks and your family and enjoy a movie under the stars. Movie title TBA.
INDOOR MOVIES
The following theaters are offering free indoor movies this summer as well.
Mayo Performing Arts Center
Free movies are shown on a screen on the MPAC Main Stage in Morristown on select Tuesdays.
August 1 at 10:30 am: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
August 1 at 7 pm: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
August 15 at 10:30 am: Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile
August 15 at 7 pm: Everything Everywhere All At Once
State Theatre New Jersey
The newly renovated theater in New Brunswick announced the return of its Free Summer Movies Series.
July 11: Moana
July 18: Minions: Rise of Gru
July 25: Soul
Aug 8: The LEGO Batman Movie
Aug 15: Into the Woods
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