Freesia DeNaples Photo
A crew erected not a tent, but a huge inflatable movie screen in Edgewood Park — in preparation for a summer of “Friday Night Flicks” in parks across town.
Martin Torresquintero, outdoor adventure coordinator for the Department of Parks, Recreation and Trees, directed the efforts of the seven-member crew Wednesday in the skating rink outside Edgewood’s Coogan Pavilion.
As the screen slowly rose up into the air, one of the crew members noted little kids might want to jump on the base of the screen, which is almost identical to the base of a blow up bounce house.
The raising of the screen was a practice run for a series of city-sponsored “Friday Night Flicks” starting this Friday, June 5, at Amrhyn Field at the base of West Rock Park. Each Friday beginning at 8:30 p.m. (excluding July 3), a film will be shown for free in various parks around town. All movies are kid friendly, ranging from classics, like The Goonies and ET, to newer films like Frozen and Big Hero 6.
“This is brand new this year,” Torresquintero said as the inflatable screen towered behind him. “This is something that different neighborhoods through the management team engage the community with.”
“There was a contest on Facebook to see which movie people wanted to see in their neighborhoods, and that’s what determined which movie gets played in which park,” Torresquintero said. “We’ve got our management teams, our park police, and our community activists that will be a part of it, and it looks like it’ll be great.”
Movie-goers are encouraged to bring their own blankets, chairs, popcorn, or any other snack they might want throughout the show.
The schedule follows:
June 5 at Amrhyn Field: 101 Dalmatians
June 12 at Quinnipiac Park: Big Hero 6
June 19 at Lincoln Bassett Park: Beetlejuice
June 26 at Edgewood Park (Ranger Station): Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
July 10 at Kimberly Field: The Goonies
July 17 at College Woods: ET: The Extra Terrestrial
July 24 at John Daniels Field: Frozen
July 31 at Wooster Square Park: Casablanca
Aug. 7 at Fairmont Park: Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax
Aug. 14 at Scantlebury Park (Ashmun Street): Despicable Me (pictured)
Aug. 21 at East Shore Park: Brave
Aug. 28 at Kensington Park: Annie (2014)