Outdoor summer movies: drive-ins and pop-ups

Summertime means movies on outdoor screens. And as any Seattleite knows, summer begins in July in the Puget Sound region. Hence, so do most outdoor movies.

In the list below, you can find outdoor summer movies around Puget Sound by region (Seattle and then north, east, west, and south of the city) and then by day-of-the-week, along with their first and last screening dates, venue opening time–typically between 6-8pm, and admission costs (if any4

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If you are looking for indoor movies, check our big list of movie theaters.

Weather (e.g. rain or high wind) cancels unless otherwise noted (e.g. they are under a tent).

A few venues are 21+ only and they mean it (per Washington State liquor laws). So, this means you cannot bring your infant in your arms or a toddler. Nope, we’re not kidding. 21+ only means just that. It’s the law, don’t give them a hard time about it.

Most movies are free, except where noted.

Movies always begin at dusk, which varies by location, but generally means 9:00-9:30 in July and 8:00-8:30 in August. Plan to arrive soon after the venue opens (as early as 6:00 or 7:00 PM) to get your choice of seating area.

For additional details, visit their website to find out if there is entertainment (music, activities), restrictions (outside food, pets, alcohol), suggestions on what to bring (blankets, chairs), ticket purchase information (for those charging a fee), any other costs (parking, concessions), how to get weather updates, and of course the movie titles showing on any given date. Most venues and movies are family- and kid-friendly, but not all, so check the details before you make plans.

Drive-in Theaters in the Puget Sound region

Most drive-in movie theaters are open spring through fall; a couple remain open throughout the year. Drive-ins need concession sales to stay in business. So please, no outside food or drink.

(Listed alphabetically by city.)

Bremerton Rodeo Drive-In. Open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday mid-March through the end of September…or so. Open 7 days a week from mid-May until Labor Day Weekend. Closed on July 4. Snack bar is open and online ordering in advance is available. General admission: $10 per person. Great value for a double feature. More info: http://www.rodeodrivein.com/.

Oak Harbor (Whidbey Island) Blue Fox Drive-In. Check their website to see what’s showing. Open 7 days a week. Snack bar is open and online ordering in advance is available. General admission: $6.50 Cash/$7.00 Card per person. More info: https://www.bluefoxdrivein.com/.

Port Townsend Wheel-In (62 mi NW of Seattle via ferry, 85 mi N of Tacoma. Opens in April. Wednesday-Sunday. Snack bar is open and protocols provided upon arrival. Phase 2 admission: $15/carload; reservations required and available online. More info: http://www.ptwheelinmotormovie.com/.

Shelton Skyline Theater (76 mi SW of Seattle, 46 mi SW of Tacoma). Opens in March. Rain or shine. Open at 7pm, show at dusk. Most of the revenue for the Skyline comes from our concessions–please, no outside food or drink. It gets cold once the sun goes down, even in the summer time, so bring your own or buy Skyline blankets and sweatshirts in the snack bar. Phase 2 admission: $5.00 online reservation PER VEHICLE, not per person; reserve your spot online. Card transactions have $0.50 transaction fee. More info: http://skylinedrive-in.com/.

Pop-Up Summer 2020 Drive-In Movies

Drive-Ins are popping up in all the right places in summer 2020. Listed alphabetically by city or location.

Bellevue Drive-In Movie Theater at Vasa Park. July-August. Fridays-Saturdays all ages and Tuesday is Disney night. Concessions available. No outside food or drink. Price per vehicle: $25. Advance reservation online. More info: https://www.vasaparkresorteventcenter.com/

Tuesdays – Kids Night
Fridays – Action Films
Saturdays – Rom Coms

SOLD OUT. Everett, Fridays at the Marina. Fridays July 17 – August 21, 2020. Drive-in ONLY in 2020, no walk-in or sail-in. More info: http://www.portofeverett.com/recreation/sail-in-cinema.

SOLD OUT. Kent accesso ShoWare Center Drive-In Outdoor Cinema. Open Wed-Sun, July-August with two showtimes each day. The movie screen is 42′ x 23′ LED and can be seen in any light setting. Price per vehicle: $30 General Admission Parking, $40 for Premium General Admission, $20 for Motorcycles. No RV’s. All parking is first-come, first-served. The amount of people allowed in each vehicle is limited to the number of seat belt’s in the vehicle. More info: https://www.accessoshowarecenter.com/events/outdoor-cinema

August 5 – 8: Shrek, How to Train Your Dragon, Anchorman
August 9: The Lion King, Ghostbusters
August 12-16: The Lion King, Ghostbusters, Gremlins
August 19 – 23: Field of Dreams, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Spaceballs
SOLD OUT. August 28-30: Moana, Space Jam, Grease & Men in Black

Puyallup Drive-In Movie Night at Washington State Fairgrounds. August 22, 2020. Lot opens at 7:30pm. Blue Parking Lot, Meridian St S & 10th Ave SE. Tickets: FREE. The event is a first come, first serve until capacity is reached. More info: https://www.thefair.com/activities/drive-in-movie-at-the-fair/

Redmond Movies at Marymoor Park. July 8 – August 27, 2020. $25 per carload. No RVs, buses or limousines. More info: https://www.epiceap.com/movies-at-marymoor/

Shoreline Pop-Up Drive-In Series. Saturday, July 11, Night of the Living Dead (NR) at Shorewood High School. Arrive 8-9pm, film begins at 9:15pm. Tickets on sale now! $25/car: https://bit.ly/2Z2AjTW

Tacoma. Central Co-op free Drive In Theater in the North End. August 7, 14, 21, 28. Family friendly social distancing option. The grocery store will be open an hour for Grab & Go Snack items. More info: https://www.instagram.com/p/CDfe9DtgpVk/. Movie titles announced on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/centralcoop253/

SOLD OUT. Tacoma at America’s Car Museum/Haub Family Field. Aug 1, 8, 15, 22. The event will be limited in capacity according to social distancing regulations and pre-registration is required. Parking begins at 7:30 pm and the movie begins at 9 pm. More info: https://www.americascarmuseum.org/events/

Walmart Drive-Ins have no locations planned in the Pacific Northwest except Grants Pass, Oregon. More info: https://walmartdrive-in.com/

Summer Outdoor Movies outside of Seattle

(Listed alphabetically by city.)

Auburn, Fridays in a different park each week. CANCELLED for 2020. More info: https://www.auburnwa.gov/city_hall/parks_arts_recreation/special_events

Arlington, Select Friday and Saturdays at Airport Fly-in. CANCELLED for 2020. More info: http://www.arlingtonflyin.org/schedule/

Bellevue, Tuesdays at Downtown Park. CANCELLED for 2020. More info: http://bellevue.com/outdoor-movies.php.

Bellevue, Thursdays at Crossroads Park. CANCELLED for 2020. More info: http://bellevue.com/outdoor-movies.php.

Edmonds, Select Fridays at Frances Andersen Center Field. CANCELLED for 2020. More info: http://edmonds.enterprise.localist.com/event/edmonds_outdoor_movie_nites_6968#.WywcOvZFxhF.

Everett, Fridays at Thornton A. Sullivan Park. CANCELLED for 2020. More info: https://everettwa.gov/805/Cinema-Under-the-Stars.

Kirkland, Saturdays at Carillon Point. CANCELLED for 2020. Admission: $5 donation. More info: http://bellevue.com/outdoor-movies.php.

Lakewood, Saturday in Fort Steilacoom Park. CANCELLED for 2020. Part of Summerfest all day festival. More info: https://cityoflakewood.us/Summerfest/

Sammamish, Fridays on the Plaza. CANCELLED for 2020. More info: https://www.sammamish.us/parks-recreation/special-events/

Seattle Summer Outdoor Movies

(Listed by day of week.)

Thursdays in central Seattle at Peddler Brewing Co. CANCELLED for 2020. Rain or shine, in the beer garden under a large tent. Family-friendly place, all ages welcome. More info: https://www.peddlerbrewing.com/movies

Friday, August 31st in central Seattle at Cal Anderson Park. Kinky Boots begins at sunset, pre-show at 7pm. CANCELLED for 2020. More info: https://threedollarbillcinema.org/outdoorcinema

Fridays in downtown Seattle at Westlake Park. CANCELLED for 2020. More info: https://downtownseattle.org/events/

Fridays in downtown Seattle at Freeway Park (east Plaza). CANCELLED for 2020. More info: http://freewayparkassociation.org/centercitycinema/

Fridays in south Seattle Skyway neighborhood on Renton Avenue South. CANCELLED for 2020. More info: http://mywesthill.org/skyway-outdoor-cinema.

Saturdays in August in Chinatown International District at Hing Hay Park. CANCELLED for 2020. More info: https://seattleaaff.org/2019/2019/05/18/saaff-c-id-summer-cinema-save-the-date/.

Saturdays in south Seattle in Columbia City neighborhood at Columbia Park. CANCELLED for 2020. More info: http://www.rainierartscenter.org/summer-events/

Saturday in West Seattle at the Fauntleroy Triangle. CANCELLED for 2019 and 2020. More info: http://westseattlemovies.blogspot.com/

Saturdays at Seattle Center Mural. CANCELLED for 2020. Movies on the grounds of Seattle Center is an outdoor cinema experience like no other, with the state-of-the-art 40-foot screen and Seattle’s iconic Space Needle looming above. Sigh…. More info: http://www.seattlecenter.com/moviesatthemural/

Saturdays (21+ only) in central Seattle at South Lake Union Discovery Center. CANCELLED for 2020. Suggested donation $5; benefits local charities. More info: https://www.facebook.com/pg/SeattleOutdoorCinema/events/

But wait, there’s more!