FREE (or super-cheap!) Kid/Family Movies – Summer 2013
Posted May 17, 2013 by Patricia Hall
It’s showtime! This summer, enjoy a beloved family classic all over again for free, or catch the latest summer blockbusters without busting the bank, with these great local options! This list compiled by FairfaxFamilyFun.com includes indoor and outdoor options for family-friendly films indoor or outdoors. Enjoy! (And please note: Phoenix Worldgate in Herndon and AMC Theatres nationally no longer offer a free kids’ movie program. The AMC program was discountinued last year, as we noted in our 2012 list.)
FREE movies indoors (at theaters):
- Bow Tie Cinemas Kids Club
- Alden Theatre Family Movie Nights
- Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Kids Club
FREE outdoor movies:
- Pinn Community Center Movies Under the Stars (Friday nights)
- Mosaic District Films in the Park (Friday nights)
- Mosaic District Cartoons & Coffee (Saturday mornings)
- Lorton Station Town Center Saturday Night Cinema
- Starlight Cinemas Centreville (Saturday nights in August)
- Cinema Del Ray (3rd Saturday nights May-August)
- Lakeside Flicks at Lake Anne Plaza (2nd Sundays at sundown, June-September)
Super-cheap movies at theaters:
- Regal Summer Movie Express $1 Movies
- Two-buck Tuesdays and everyday cheap movies at University Mall
- Rave Cinemas $5 movies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays
- Super Tuesdays $6 movies at Bow Tie Cinemas
See details below!
FREE movies indoors (at theaters):
Bow Tie Cinemas at the Reston Town Center has a Free Kids Summer Film Series offering absolutely free admission for all to enjoy G- and PG-rated movies. Showtimes are 10 am (doors open at 9) on Saturdays and Sundays from June 25 to August 21. Seating is limited and tickets are first-come, first-served.
Alden Theatre Family Movie Nights: McLean Community Center hosts free monthly Family Movie Nights (“E.T.” on May 24, “Goonies” on June 22). Movies start at 7:30 and are free; no reservations required. Please, no food or drink in the theater.
The new Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in nearby Ashburn offers a Kids Camp with free kid-friendly movies on select weekends. See the theater website for details.
FREE outdoor movies:
Movies Under the Stars (Friday nights): Enjoy a family-friendly film on the second and fourth Fridays, May-August, with “Movies Under the Stars” at the David R. Pinn Community Center in Fairfax. Movies take place outside at 7:30 pm. The series begins May 24 with “Wreck-it Ralph.”
Mosaic District Films In the Park (Friday nights):The Mosaic District shopping center in Fairfax hosts “Films in the Park” every Friday at 7 pm at its Strawberry Park. The free outdoor movies are a mix of family-friendly movies and films rated PG-13, so check the schedule in advance.
Mosaic District Cartoons & Coffee (Saturday mornings): Mosaic District also hosts a free “Cartoons & Coffee” session every Saturday, 9-10:30 am. Bring the family for a morning picnic at Strawberry Park and enjoy classic cartoons, such as the Jetsons, the Flintstones, and Scooby Doo, outdoors on a big screen.
Lorton Station Town Center Saturday Night Cinema: Lorton Station Town Center hosts a free Saturday Night Cinema every other Saturday this summer (starting June 8 and ending August 31) outside in its courtyard. Watch classic family-friendly movies and enjoy outdoor restaurant service and snacks for sale.
Starlight Cinemas (Saturday nights in August): Fairfax County’s annual Starlight Cinema is a family tradition in our area! Gather in the parking lot of the Trinity Centre in Centreville beginning at 6 pm to enjoy an outdoor pre-movie program with music, food, and children’s activities. Then stay for a family-friendly film (rated PG) when it gets dark (bring a picnic blanket!). The series is on Saturdays in August; this year’s films are Madagascar 3, Ice Age, Kung Fu Panda 2, and Rise of the Guardians.
Cinema Del Ray: Join your neighbors at the Mount Vernon Rec Center to enjoy movies at dusk (beginning around 7 pm). Movies are on the third Saturday of each month; this year’s films are: Brave, The Lorax, Wreck-it Ralph, and Madagascar 3.
Lakeside Flicks at Lake Anne Plaza: Lake Anne Plaza in Reston is hosting its first summer film festival starting in 2013. Films (mostly PG films, but one is R) will be shown at sundown (rain or shine) on the second Sundays of the month, from June through September. The classic films are: Back to the Future, Ghostbusters, Some Like it Hot, and When Harry Met Sally.
SUPER-cheap movies at theaters:
Regal Summer Movie Express: See classic and more recent (past couple of years) films on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (days vary by location) at 10 am for just $1 per ticket. Part of the proceeds benefits the Will Rogers Institute. The series runs for nine weeks and begins in June (exact date varies by location); Regal has cinemas in Fairfax, Ashburn, Sterling, Arlington, and Manassas.
Two-Buck Tuesdays and everyday cheap tickets at University Mall Theatres: Catch up on recent movies you may have missed at mainstream theaters at this small and friendly bargain theater that shows some PG (and sometimes G) movies each week. Prices are just $4 adults, and $3 seniors/kids/students. On “Two-buck Tuesdays,” all seats for all shows are just $2 each! The theater is across from George Mason University in Fairfax.
Rave Cinemas Discount Days: Want to see the latest movies at a discounted rate? Rave Cinemas offers $5 movies on Tuesdays at its Centerville location and on Wednesdays at Fairfax Corner. The $5 ticket price applies to all seats for all movies all day! (Exceptions: midnight shows, special programs, and holidays.)
Bow Tie Cinemas Super Tuesday: Bow Tie Cinemas at the Reston Town Center also gives you a chance to see current movies at a super price. Criterion Club members (membership is free!) get $6 tickets for all regular movies all day (surcharge for 3-D and BTX movies), plus $5 large tubs of popcorn all day.