As the unofficial start of summer, Memorial Day kicked off a slew of outdoor activities in Minnesota, from afternoon picnics and long walks around the lakes to pedaling bikes well after 5 p.m. and backyard grill-outs.
Lucky for us, the Twin Cities are also brimming with arts and culture activities throughout the season. Pair that with our enviable parks and rec department, and you get free outdoor movies all summer long.
Don’t worry, Greater Minnesota—outdoor movie nights are coming to parks and venues near you, too. Plus, the land of 10,000 lakes is home to beloved drive-in theaters screening cheap double-features (serving up even cheaper popcorn) throughout the summer months.
Here’s your guide to free outdoor movie nights across the state. So grab your picnic blanket, fill your cooler, and get ready to stay up past bedtime.
Free Outdoor Movies
Minneapolis
Movies in the Park
The parks board has a monthly calendar positively stacked with movies, screening in various parks throughout the summer months. Whether you’re looking for a sci-fi classic like “The Fifth Element” (Jun. 10) or a heartfelt family film like “Soul” (Jun. 12), take to one of Minneapolis’s many parks for movie night. A full weekly calendar of movies and showtimes can be found at the Parks and Recreation Board website.
Go Outside
Hennepin County’s Go Outside program brings free outdoor movie nights to Target Field Station on select Thursdays all summer. Things kick off at the station on the second Thursday in June. Catch flicks like the Sandra Bullock rom-com “The Proposal” (Jun. 25), Timothee Chalamet as the eponymous “Wonka” (Jul. 16), indie animation “The Missing Link” (Aug. 20), and more—twice a month in the heart of downtown Minneapolis. For all dates and showings this summer, check the Go Outside homepage.
Meet at Mia
As part of the Minneapolis Institute of Art’s free summer activity series, Mia will screen a couple of movies later this summer. First up, an evening of fashion-forward programming on Aug. 20 features crafting opportunities with the Textile Center, evening tours of fashion on exhibition, and a screening of “The Devil Wears Prada” to round out the evening. Another movie night takes place Sept. 10 (featuring “In the Heights”). For more info, check out the full Meet at Mia’s 2026 Summer Series.
St. Paul
Movies in the Park
Break out your picnic blanket and bring it to a St. Paul park after dark for movie screenings throughout the season. The 2026 series features many musical favorites like “Mamma Mia!” (Aug. 14) and “Wicked” (Aug. 28). Bonus: there will be food trucks! For the full calendar, check the Movies in the Park page.
Trilingua Cinema
This summer at the East Side Sculpture Park, watch a movie among public art installations brought to you by the non-profit Trilingua Cinema. Screenings include Oscar-winning “Moonlight” (Jun. 13), Wes Anderson’s “Fantastic Mister Fox” (Jul. 23), and more. Plus: free hot dogs and popcorn! Check the cinema’s website for more dates and showings of family favorites and cult classics.
Maple Grove
Friday Night Movies
Pull up a lawn chair for Friday night movies every week, beginning Jul. 17. Don’t miss nostalgic hits like “The Mighty Ducks” (Jul. 24), “Back to the Future” (Aug. 7), and “Jurassic Park” (Aug. 21)—plus Disney staples like “Ratatouille” (Aug. 28) and more. See the Maple Grove town green movie schedule in the community activity guide.
Pro Tip: Most of the Twin Cities’ suburbs have a movie night or two scattered throughout the summer! Check your city’s parks and recreation website for screenings near you.
Duluth
Downtown Duluth Movies in the Park
Catch a movie on the big screen in beautiful Leif Erickson Park, every Friday evening starting Jul. 10 with a screening of the star-studded “Apollo 13.” View the full lineup of family films and timeless faves at Downtown Duluth’s Movies in the Park page.
Spring Valley
Movies in the Vineyard!
For a unique outdoor movie experience, head for Bluff Country and to Four Daughters Vineyard—just south of Rochester and east of Austin. Every Wednesday night from Jun. 4 to Aug. 20 to catch Hollywood hits like “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” (Jul. 16), “ET” (Jul. 30), and many, many more played out among the grapevines.
A full food and drink menu will be available for purchase—plus popcorn and candy, of course. For full details, visit Four Daughters’ event page.
Cheap Drive-In Movies
Long Prairie
The Long Drive-In
$8 per adult
2026 marks seven decades of drive-in movies at this central Minnesota theater. The venue even sports the original drive-in speakers from 1956 in select parking spots—so arrive early for a retro experience!
Running a classic double-feature schedule, they screen two movies a night on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, beginning around 9 p.m. Check their site every weekend to see what blockbusters are in rotation and plan your weekend trip to the drive-in.
Pro-tip: The Long Drive-In relies on concessions to stay in operation, so come hungry for popcorn, hot dogs, and much more (for dirt cheap)!
Litchfield
Starlite Theater
$9 per adult
Pull up to the Starlite Theater, tune your radio to FM, and choose from one of two big screens showing separate back-to-back movies. Featuring the latest premieres for kids and adults, the Starlite’s line-up won’t disappoint! The first movie runs at 9:20 p.m. Visit the Starlite Theater’s website to see what’s on and upcoming.
Luverne
Verne Drive-In Theater
$8 per adult
Tucked into the southwest corner of the state, the Verne Drive-In Theater shows movies at dusk Wednesdays through Sundays in the summer—plenty of cheap, outdoor movie nights to keep you entertained throughout the season. Their concession stand has an array of cold treats, popcorn, and hot food to boot. Upcoming movies are announced every Tuesday on Verne’s website and Facebook page.
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
