Free Flicks for Kids

When Forsyth County resident Paul Murray had a hard time finding free activities to do with his wife and two daughters during summer vacation, he took matters into his own hands. Seven years ago, Murray founded Southern Outdoor Cinema, which travels throughout Forsyth, north Fulton and Cherokee counties to play family-friendly movies at Georgia Movies in the Park events.

“Great affordable family-friendly events are hard to find these days,” Murray said. “Southern Outdoor Cinema is changing that.”

Southern Outdoor Cinemas is partnering with Northside Hospital Forsyth, Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park and the Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau to show the movie Life of Pi on June 29 at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park. The movie will be shown rain or shine. Guests can bring blankets and lawn chairs. No outside food or drink is allowed, but food vendors will be on-site selling movie snacks.

The movie will begin at 9 p.m., and face painting will be provided starting at 7 p.m.

“Come out with friends and family, lay out a blanket, share a picnic, sit back and watch your kids participate in pre-movie activities and listen to music playing in the background as the sun sets over the park,” Murray said. “Then enjoy an outstanding show under the stars as the smell of freshly popped popcorn wafts through the air.”

The event is free. Two other movies currently are scheduled – The Croods on Aug. 3 and Epic on Aug. 31.

Georgia Movies in the Park is the state’s longest-running festival and outdoor movie event and is known as “Atlanta’s most kid-friendly outdoor movie series.” It travels from city to city, showing movies in parks and downtown areas from May-December.

Other nearby locations where Georgia Movies in the Park will stop include Cumming, Canton, Woodstock and Dawsonville.