Free Summer Outdoor Movies

When the residents and business owners of Baltimore’s Little Italy started their own Open Air Film Festival over ten years ago, they had no idea it would become
an international sensation, a Baltimore tradition and inspire several other similar festivals throughout the city.

It all started with a blank billboard, a parking lot and the third flloor bedroom window of lifelong Little Italy resident John Pente, who was 83 at the time. The idea was simple. On Fridays and Saturdays nights in July and August, movies tied to the Italian community in some way would be shown out of the window and onto the blank screen to create Baltimore’s own Cinema Pardiso. The streets would be closed so people could bring lawn chairs, food and watch movies under the stars. The festival was an instant hit and media outlets literally from around the world few to Baltimore to cover hundreds and hundreds of people turning out for this charming event. To this day, the festival remains one of Baltimore’s iconic events. Movies are shown at dusk on Friday nights in July and August with musical entertainment before each movie. Remaining films include BIG NIGHT (7/23), IT STARTED IN NAPLES (7/30), THE ITALIAN JOB (8/6), MY HOUSE IN UMBRIA (8/13), WHEN IN ROME (8/20) and CINEMA PARIDISO (8/27).

“Flicks from the Hill”, sponsored by the American Visionary Art Museum on Federal Hill, is another popular film festival in Baltimore. Free movies are shown on Thursdays beginning at 9 p.m. with viewers finding their “seats” (as well as amazing Inner Harbor views) on the side of Federal Hill. On movie nights, the museum is open from 5 to 9 p.m. and admission is free. Remaining films include RADIO DAYS (7/22), KING KONG (7/29), A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN (8/5), TRUE STORIES (8/12) and ROCKY (8/19).

The historic waterfront neighborhood of Fell’s Point is the setting for FILMS ON THE PIER every Wednesday this summer. Blockbuster movies are shown on a jumbo screen on Broadway Pier just steps from Harbor Magic’s Admiral Fell Inn. Remaining films include STAR TREK (7/21), HOT TUB TIME MACHINE (7/28), TWILIGHT: NEW MOON (8/4), THE BLIND SIDE (8/11), ALICE IN WONDERLAND (8/28) and 500 DAYS OF SUMMER (8/25).