Seaside Cinema - Free Movies and Popcorn? We're In!
Things to Do
Combine free freshly made popcorn, a free movie, and a 16-foot screen overlooking Frenchman Bay and what do you have?
No, not a fantasy of a long-ago time, but something real and family friendly every Wednesday night (weather permitting) at Agamont Park in Bar Harbor.
All a movie lover needs is to bring themself, their friends, family, and maybe a blanket to sit on.
That’s because the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce and Reel Pizza Cinerama have joined forces, taking care of the rest of the details as they host outdoor movies beginning July 13 and running through Aug. 17, 2022. Everyone is invited to attend for free and view the cinematic action on a 16-foot screen with Frenchman Bay as the backdrop to the show.
This past Wednesday, July 13, the series began and early arrivals were gifted with the pastel sunset over Frenchman Bay as well as casual community and connections as they waited for the movie to start. People took photos of other people’s dogs. Children rolled around on the grass. And friendships were made as Alf Anderson, executive director of the Bar Harbor Chamber looked on from where he helped work the popcorn machine.
“These Wednesday evenings are some of the most fun of the summer,” said Anderson. “The outdoor movies attract families from our community as well as guests visiting from all over the world. It’s great to see new and familiar faces enjoying these events.”
Old friends shouted across the rolling green lawn, greeting each other. A family visiting from another continent pat the grass and explained to their young son how it felt so different from the grass at home, running their hands through the blades. And nearby, the owners of the West Highland terrier, Katie, listened as moviegoer after moviegoer explained about their own histories with the dog breed.
“Katie is a terrier,” her human said. “Do you know about terriers? They run the house. They think they are German shepherds.”
“Exactly,” said one of Katie’s admirers. “And they should. Good things are in little packages.”
And then she launched into her own story of her childhood exploits with Westies.
That’s the secret of the weekly event. It’s about more than the movie. It’s about the connections being built, the stories being told not on the screen, but in the grass and on the benches as people wait.
“Bar Harbor is super fun,” one young girl yelled as her parents put down what looked like it might have been a towel from a nearby hotel.
“It is, isn’t it?” her mom said in a hushed tone.
That sense of fun and spirit of community and connection has to be one of the reasons that the series is organized by the Chamber and Reel Pizza and sponsored by Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, the Atlantic Oceanside Hotel & Event Center, the Bar Harbor Inn, the Acadia Shop and the Town of Bar Harbor.
The movies will be every Wednesday evening, weather permitting. A make-up date is August 24.
WHAT FILMS WILL BE THERE AND WHEN?
July 13: “Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit “
July 20: “The SpongeBob Movie”
July 27: “Porco Rosso”
Aug. 3: “Song of the Sea”
Aug. 10: “Rango”
Aug. 17: “Fly Away Home”
For more information, visit www.visitbarharbor.com or call (207) 288-5103.