Courtesy Madison Parks
People in Meadowood park watching a movie.
Bring a lawn chair or a blanket and a picnic. Sometimes, food carts are on site too.
The cinema can mean air conditioned theaters, quiet audiences and high-priced tickets.
But in Madison this summer, the cinema has moved outside. Now, ginormous blow-up screens, fan-favorite flicks and conveniently located outdoor venues offer new options for viewing.
Sina Davis Movies in the Park
Sina Davis Movies in the Park, from the Madison Parks division, shows free movies in city parks including Warner, Aldo Leopold, the Goodman Pool, Peace Park, Allied Park and more.
“It’s just very casual,” says Ann Shea, public information officer for Madison Parks.
Moviegoers are encouraged to make themselves comfortable — they can bring a blanket or lawn chair and homemade food, though there are sometimes food carts at the showings.
The program was named for Sina Davis, a community organizer and activist who lived in the Allied Drive neighborhood and passed away in 2019.
Davis was instrumental in bringing outdoor movies to the Allied Drive neighborhood and other neighborhoods with Neighborhood Resource Teams — groups of Madison city staff who work outside of their departmental positions to advance racial equity and improve the quality of life for Madison residents in some neighborhoods.
Eleven of the Sina Davis Movies in the Park movies are put on through Parks Alive, a collaborative effort with Neighborhood Resource Teams to sponsor more activities in the local parks including music and food. Parks Alive movies are open to everyone, but Madison Parks makes an effort to engage community members who live near these parks.
Parks Alive movies start at 6:30 p.m., but activities begin at 5 p.m. Movies run through Aug. 10 on varying weekdays.
Sina Davis Movies in the Park also offers showings at Movie at the Glen, which take place at the Glen Golf Park on select Sundays through Oct. 15. All Movie at the Glen screenings begin at 4 p.m. The next Movie at the Glen showing is July 16.
Additionally, Sina Davis Movies in the Park shows movies most Saturdays at 7:45 p.m. at Peace Park. They will also show Finding Nemo at the Goodman Pool Aug. 5. Sina Davis Movies in the Park movies run through Aug. 19.
Memorial Terrace Lakeside Cinema
A bite from Der Rathskeller, a seat on the famous chairs, and a movie with Lake Mendota as a backdrop — what could be a more perfect Madison summer night?
Brought to the UW Memorial Union by the Wisconsin Union Directorate Film Committee — a student-run film group — Lakeside Cinema shows films at 9 p.m. every Monday until Sept. 4 on the Terrace. The movies range from The Princess and the Frog to Grown Ups. All screenings are free and seats are available on a first come, first served basis.
For scary movie buffs, WUD’s Secret Sunday Scaries offers a surprise spooky screening every other Sunday through Aug. 6 at the Terrace at 9 p.m. WUD hints at and then announces the movie picks on its Instagram prior to the event. (The next is July 9.)
Hot dogs, chips and soda are all $1 on Lakeside Cinema Sundays and Mondays starting at 8 p.m. Movies will be moved inside to the Rathskeller in the Memorial Union if there is inclement weather.
Seven Acre Dairy Company
Dinner and a movie!
Seven Acre Dairy Company, a restored cheese factory in Paoli, offers free outdoor movies at its new Sugar River Flats outdoor location.
On Summer Movie Nights, attendees are encouraged to bring their family, blankets and lawn chairs and can purchase ice cream, drinks and popcorn. There is one remaining movie this summer — Zootopia on July 5 — which begins at 8:30 p.m. (Watch the website for August film dates.)
Before the movie, Seven Acre Dairy offers its dinner menu and new kids' menu, which features burgers, hot dogs, and mac and cheese made with locally sourced ingredients, at half-price on movie nights.
