From heritage sites to rooftop bars, here’s where to find the best open-air cinemas in London this summer
When the weather’s good it’s a shame to be sat inside a dark cinema rather than laid out on the grass with some bevvies to hand, so it’s a good thing that outdoor cinemas are pitching up in London again this summer for another season of al fresco film screenings. From breezy rooftops to historic backdrops, these are the places to be watching films this season. Popcorn at the ready…and while you’re chewing it would be a shame not to take advantage of the best Irish online casinos for even more dopamine.
Rooftop Film Club – Screens are heading back to the top of buildings as Rooftop Film Club has returned for another season. This year, Roof East in Stratford and Peckham’s Bussey Building is showing a varied programme, with films including 10 Things I Hate About You, Almost Famous, The Parent Trap, Anora, Midsommar, A Real Pain, Moana, Scream, A Complete Unknown and more. They’ll also be doing dog-friendly screenings, a Pride season, and a movies from the noughties series. Get your tickets here.
Everyman on the Canal – Everyman is bringing its free screenings back to the canal in King’s Cross, with Yinka Ilori designing the screen this year. Grab a spot on the Side Steps between 30th June – 17th August and catch the likes of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Grease, Parent Trap, Top Gun: Maverick, Bohemian Rhapsody, and Encanto, as well as all the action from Wimbledon.
Barbican – Head to the Barbican’s Sculpture Court between 20th – 31st August for one of the most diverse outdoor film programmes in town. Across eleven days, you can catch docs, cult classics and international gems like Fire of Love, David Lynch’s Dune, Little Shop of Horrors, Grave of the Fireflies and Babymother in the brutalist courtyard. Get tickets here.
Adventure Cinema – The UK’s biggest touring outdoor cinema is back from 23rd May until September, hitting 60 venues up and down the country with London stops at Kew Gardens. The screenings include Wicked Sing-a-Long, Moana 2 and Bridget Jones’s Diary. Get tickets here.
Canary Wharf Summer Screen – Head to Canada Square Park for a summer of screenings in Canary Wharf. Running from the end of May through to the end of September, you’ll be able to catch a range of live sporting events plus a packed programme of films, including Finding Nemo, The Hunger Games, Dirty Dancing, Wicked and Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. All of the screenings are free, just bring along your own picnic blanket and snacks to tune in.
Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens – FREE, open-air screenings will be on at Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens every week this July, with the screenings set to include Aladdin, Mean Girls, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Sister Act II: Back in the Habit. Get tickets here.
Merchant Square – head to Paddington Basin on Wednesdays across July, August and September to catch movies like The Princess Diaries, Moana 2, A Star is Born, Mamma Mia and Dirty Dancing. The screenings are free so just grab a deckchair or bring a blanket.
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