You’ve already got plenty of avenues for watching outdoor movies in Chicago this summer, from free Movies in the Parks screenings to ritzy date nights at Rooftop Cinema Club in Fulton Market. Now you can add yet another option to the list as the Millennium Park Summer Film Series returns to the Loop this July.
Hosted by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), the annual programming series brings eight weeks of free movie showings to a 40-foot LED screen at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. While you’ll find a respectable amount of blockbusters on the lineup (hello, Encanto and Dirty Dancing), many of the films on this year’s schedule are inspired by the 2022 Year of Chicago Dance, including the Lin Manuel Miranda musical In the Heights and teen dance romance Save the Last Dance.
The 2022 Millennium Park Summer Film Series runs July 12–August 30, with screenings on select Tuesdays at 6:30pm. Take a look through the full list of screenings below and start planning your weeknight movie dates.
July 12: In the Heights
July 19: Encanto
July 26: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
August 2: Dirty Dancing
August 9: Knives Out
August 16: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the 10 Rings
August 23: Save the Last Dance
August 30: Strictly Ballroom