Summer Movie Festivals for Kids050

Keep your picnic blankets and coolers handy - it's time for outdoor movies! And if it gets too hot, just head inside to one of the summer series of free/$1 children's films offered at numerous theaters across town.

The 2010 Rosslyn Outdoor Film Festival at Gateway Park rewinds to relive the 90s this year. People can bring blankets and low chairs to picnic in the park before the show, plus there are pre-show 90s-themed games and prizes.

Clueless (PG-13) April 30
Wayne's World (PG-13) May 7
My Best Friend's Wedding (PG-13) May 14
Edward Scissorhands (PG-13) May 21
Happy Gilmore (PG-13) May 27
Office Space (R) June 4
Cry-Baby (PG-13) June 11
Mrs. Doubtfire (PG-13) June 18
Bio-Dome (PG-13) June 28
Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead (PG-13) July 2
Home Alone (PG) July 9
What's Eating Gilbert Grape (PG-13) July 16
Empire Records (PG-13) July 23
Dumb and Dumber (PG-13) July 30
Romeo + Juliet (PG-13) August 6
Airheads (PG-13) August 13
The Wedding Singer (PG-13) August 20
The Birdcage (R) August 27
Billy Madison (PG-13) September 3

Movies on the Potomac at National Harbor features family-friendly animations, classic 80s films, and superhero movies, all starting at sundown on a big screen at the plaza. Bring lawn chairs; no coolers with food or alcohol are allowed.

The Princess and the Frog (G) May 9
Monsters vs. Aliens (PG) May 16
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs (PG) May 23
Coraline (PG) May 30
Madagascar (PG) June 6
Shrek (PG) June 20
Kung Fu Panda (PG) June 27
Ghostbusters (PG) July 4
The Goonies (PG) July 11
Back to the Future (PG) July 18
Gremlins (PG) July 25
Superman (PG) August 1
Iron Man (PG-13) August 8
Batman (PG-13) August 15
The Incredible Hulk (PG-13) August 22
Spider-Man (PG-13) August 29
The Land Before Time (G) September 5
Raiders of the Lost Ark (PG) September 12
E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (PG) September 19
Jurassic Park (PG-13) September 26

The Wheaton Outdoor Rink screens several Family Flicks during the summer. Bring blankets or chairs, but no outside food or drink - snacks are available for purchase on site.

Annie (G) June 5
Willy Wonka (G) June 19
The Wizard of Oz (G) July 17
The Goonies (PG) August 7
Shrek (PG) August 21

Families can bring blankets, chairs, and picnics for 11 weeks of Crystal Screen: Star Trek Films, plus there are giveaways, sponsors, and other activities.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (PG) June 7
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (PG) June 14
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (PG) June 21
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (PG) June 28
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (PG) July 5
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (PG) July 12
Star Trek: Generations (PG) July 19
Star Trek: First Contact (PG-13) July 26
Star Trek: Insurrection (PG) August 2
Star Trek Nemesis (PG-13) August 9
Star Trek (PG-13) August 16

In addition to a great lineup of $1 kid's movies, AMC's Summer MovieCamp features KidsPack concession combos for $4. All admission and concession proceeds will benefit two AMC charities, Variety - The Children's Charity and the Will Rogers Institute.

Shrek The Third (PG) June 15
Imagine That (PG) June 22
Monsters vs. Aliens (PG) June 29
Madagascar (PG) July 6
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (PG) July 13
Hotel for Dogs (PG) July 20
Kung Fu Panda (PG) July 27
The Spiderwick Chronicles (PG) August 3
Surprise Mystery Title August 10

Come early, eat dinner, and enjoy the film at Rockville Town Center's Movies on the Square. Many restaurants offer boxed-dinner delivery service during the movies, movie-night dinner specials, and more.

Julie & Julia (PG-13) June 16
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (PG) June 23
Sherlock Holmes (PG-13) June 30
Valentine's Day (PG-13) July 7
Where the Wild Things Are (PG) July 14
The Blind Side (PG-13) July 21
Aliens in the Attic (PG) July 28
New Moon (PG-13) August 4

Families can bring picnics, blankets, and chairs for free outdoor screenings at Canal Park of some great Ultimate Underdogs movies. Get there early for games and trivia contests.

Shrek (PG) June 17
The Karate Kid (PG) June 24
To Kill a Mockingbird (NR) July 1
Legally Blonde (PG-13) July 8
Rudy (PG) July 15
Seabiscuit (PG-13) July 22
Happy Gilmore (PG-13) July 29
Rocky (PG) August 5

The Atlas offers the fun - and indoors - 70s Family Series (aka the Gen X Nostalgia Series). Cabaret style seating is available, but lawn chairs, blankets, and strollers are welcomed. Bring a picnic or purchase snacks and drinks on site.

The Muppet Movie (G) June 19
Pippi in the South Seas (G) June 26
1776 (PG) July 3
Charlotte's Web (G) July 10
The Bad News Bears (PG) July 17
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (G) July 24
Bugsy Malone (G) July 31
Snoopy Come Home (G) August 7
Tom Sawyer (G) August 14
The Call of the Wild (PG) August 21
Black Stallion (G) August 28
The Wiz (G) September 4

Regal's Free Family Film Festival screens two movies each week - one G and one PG - for nine weeks.

Charlotte's Web (G) / Astro Boy (PG) June 22 & 23
Doogal (G) / Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (PG) June 29 & 30
Horton Hears a Who (G) / Aliens in the Attic (PG) July 6 & 7
Rugrats the Movie (G) / Planet 51 (PG) July 13 & 14
Pirates Who Don't Do Anything (G) / Bandslam (PG) July 20 & 21
Wallace and Gromit (G) / Night at the Museum II (PG) July 27 & 28
Tale of Despereaux (G) / Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (PG) August 3 & 4
Space Chimps (G) / Hotel for Dogs (PG) August 10 & 11
Muppets from Space (G) / Monsters vs. Aliens (PG) August 17 & 18