Summer Movies in the Park are back!

Hey San Diegans,

Summer is here, and it’s the perfect time to dive into those movies you’ve been wanting to watch! This year, the county’s “Summer Movies in the Park” program is back and better than ever, featuring over 100 free movie screenings at various parks. The festivities kick off this Friday, so grab your beach chairs, blankets, and favorite picnic snacks, and head to your local park for a magical movie night under the stars.

The program runs until November 1, offering a fantastic lineup of films such as “The Sandlot,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Wonka,” “Kung Fu Panda 4,” “The Greatest Showman,” and many more.

Movies are scheduled to start about 15 minutes after sunset, but many parks are opening the fun as early as 6 p.m. with entertainment options like animal exhibits and food trucks.

The excitement begins this Friday at the Waterfront Park downtown with a special free event for the whole family. Starting at 6 p.m., you can enjoy music, games, and bounce houses. The evening will culminate with a sunset screening of “Barbie.”

“Summer Movies in the Park,” launched in 2007, is part of the county’s “Take Back Our Parks” initiative, providing a safe and fun way for the community to enjoy local parks after dark.

From the beaches to the deserts, screenings are happening all over San Diego County. So, gather your friends and family and enjoy a delightful summer evening at a park near you!

Here is the list of movies organized by neighborhood:

Here is the list of movies organized by neighborhood:

4S Ranch

  • August 16: 4S Ranch Sports Park, Elemental (2023), PG

Allied Gardens

  • August 24: Allied Gardens Recreation Center, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023), PG

Ballfield North Park

  • August 9: Adams Recreation Center, The Secret Life of Pets (2015), PG

Bay Park/Morena

  • August 3: Tecolote Recreation Center, Monsters Inc (2001), G

Bonita

  • July 26: Sweetwater Summit Regional Park, Migration (2023), PG
  • September 21: Sweetwater Summit Regional Park, A Million Miles Away (2023), PG

Carlsbad

  • September 14: Stagecoach Park, Toy Story (1995), G

Carmel Mountain Ranch

  • July 12: Sabre Springs Recreation Center, Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024), PG

Carmel Valley

  • May 31: Torrey Highlands Neighborhood Park, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023), PG
  • August 3: Ocean Air Recreation Center, Elemental (2023), PG
  • October 25: Torrey Highlands Neighborhood Park, The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), PG

Campo

  • July 13: Lake Morena County Park, Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024), PG
  • October 12: Lake Morena County Park, Hocus Pocus (1993), PG

Clairemont

  • July 20: South Clairemont Park, Wall-E (2008), PG
  • July 26: Cadman Recreation Center, Shrek (2001), PG
  • August 17: North Clairemont Recreation Center, Migration (2023), PG

City Heights

  • August 6: Officer Jeremy Henwood Memorial Park, Toy Story 4 (2019), PG
  • August 16: Azalea Recreation Center, Migration (2023), PG
  • August 16: Cherokee Joint Use Field, Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024), PG

Clairemont

  • August 17: North Clairemont Recreation Center, Migration (2023), PG

Downtown San Diego

  • May 24: Waterfront Park, Barbie (2023), PG-13
  • June 28: Waterfront Park, Trolls Band Together (2023), PG
  • August 31: Waterfront Park, Elemental (2023), PG
  • October 5: Waterfront Park, Haunted Mansion (2023), PG-13

El Cajon

  • June 15: Flinn Springs County Park, Cars (2006), G
  • September 21: Flinn Springs County Park, Barbie (2023), PG-13
  • October 12: Flinn Springs County Park, The Sandlot (1993), PG

Encanto

  • June 21: Encanto Recreation Center, Luca (2021), PG

Escondido

  • August 24: Felicita County Park, The Goonies (1985), PG
  • September 21: Felicita County Park, The Sandlot (1993), PG
  • October 12: Felicita County Park, Coco (in Spanish) (2017), PG

Fallbrook

  • May 31: Fallbrook Community Center, The Little Mermaid (2023), PG
  • July 20: Horse Creek Ridge County Park, Migration (2023), PG
  • October 19: Live Oak County Park, The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), PG
  • October 26: Horse Creek Ridge County Park, Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998), G

Golden Hill

  • June 14: Golden Hill Recreation Center, Shrek (2001), PG

Imperial Beach

  • June 28: Veterans Park, Migration (2023), PG

Julian

  • June 22: Jess Martin County Park, Jungle Cruise (2021), PG-13
  • August 24: Jess Martin County Park, Lady and the Tramp (2019), PG
  • October 26: Agua Caliente County Park, Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021), PG-13

La Jolla

  • September 7: La Jolla Recreation Center, Wonka (2023), PG

La Mesa

  • July 26: La Mesa Municipal Pool, Elemental (2023), PG
  • August 23: Collier Park, Wish (2023), PG
  • September 13: La Mesita Park, Wonka (2023), PG
  • October 18: MacArthur Park, Trolls Band Together (2023), PG

Lakeside

  • July 12: Lindo Lake County Park, Migration (2023), PG
  • September 13: Lindo Lake County Park, Little Giants (1994), PG

Lemon Grove

  • July 12: Berry Street Park, Migration (2023), PG
  • August 9: Berry Street Park, Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024), PG

Linda Vista

  • July 19: Linda Vista Recreation Center, The Addams Family (2019), PG

Logan Heights

  • July 20: Memorial Recreation Center, Migration (2023), PG
  • August 3: Memorial Recreation Center, Wonka (2023), PG

Mira Mesa

  • August 23: Lopez Ridge Recreation Center, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023), PG
  • October 19: Mira Mesa Recreation Center, Hotel Transylvania 4 (2022), PG

Mission Bay

  • June 22: Crown Point Park, Luca (2021), PG

Mission Beach

  • July 13: Santa Clara Recreation Center, Wish (2023), PG

National City

  • July 6: Lincoln Acres County Park, Elemental (2023), PG
  • August 31: Lincoln Acres County Park, Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), PG-13

North Park

  • June 8: Morley Field Sports Complex, The Sandlot (1993), PG
  • July 13: Morley Field Sports Complex, Beauty and the Beast (2017), PG
  • August 2: North Park Recreation Center, Shrek (2001), PG
  • August 17: Morley Field Sports Complex, Trolls Band Together (2023), PG
  • October 11: North Park Mini Park, The Greatest Showman (2017), PG

Ocean Beach

  • July 26: Dusty Rhodes Park, Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024), PG
  • August 23: Robb Athletic Field, Migration (2023), PG
  • August 30: Ocean Beach, Lilo and Stitch (2002), PG
  • October 25: Ocean Beach Recreation Center, Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015), PG

Old Town

  • August 24: Heritage County Park, Rear Window (1954), PG
  • September 21: Heritage County Park, Mean Girls (2004), PG-13
  • November 1: Old Town State Park, The Book of Life (2014), PG

Otay Mesa

  • June 15: Cesar Solis Community Park, Migration (2023), PG
  • June 29: Otay Lakes County Park, Trolls Band Together (2023), PG
  • July 12: Silver Wing Recreation Center, Wonka (2023), PG
  • August 2: Cesar Solis Community Park, Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024), PG
  • August 10: Otay Lakes County Park, Barbie (2023), PG-13
  • October 19: Otay Lakes County Park, Hocus Pocus (1993), PG

Pacific Beach

  • June 7: Pacific Beach/Taylor Library, The Little Mermaid (1989), G
  • August 6: Pacific Beach Library, The Princess Bride (1987), PG
  • October 25: Pacific Beach Recreation Center, Hotel Transylvania (2012), PG

Paradise Hills

  • July 26: Bay Terraces Community Park, Wonka (2023), PG

Pine Valley

  • June 14: Pine Valley County Park, The Little Mermaid (2023), PG
  • July 19: Pine Valley County Park, Barbie (2023), PG-13

Point Loma

  • July 12: Naval Training Center (NTC Park), Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, PG
  • August 2: Cabrillo Recreation Center, Ice Age (2002), PG
  • September 13: Point Loma Community Park, Wonka (2023), PG

Poway

  • June 15: Poway Community Park, The Little Mermaid (2023), PG
  • June 29: Poway Community Park, Migration (2023), PG
  • July 13: Poway Swim Center, Elemental (2023), PG
  • July 27: Poway Community Park, Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024), PG
  • August 10: Old Poway Park, Hook (1991), PG

Rancho Bernardo

  • July 13: Rancho Bernardo Glassman Recreation Center, Trolls Band Together (2023), PG
  • August 10: Rancho Bernardo Recreation Center, The Little Mermaid (2023), PG

Rancho Peñasquitos

  • June 8: Rolling Hills Park, The Sandlot (1993), PG
  • August 2: Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve, Migration (2023), PG
  • October 12: Hilltop Recreation Center, The Goonies (1985), PG

Ramona

  • June 8: Dos Picos County Park, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023), PG
  • July 27: Collier County Park, Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), PG-13

Rolando

  • June 21: Colina Del Sol Park, Wonka (2023), PG
  • August 9: Colina Del Sol Park, Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024), PG
  • August 10: Rolando Elementary School, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), PG
  • August 24: Clay Park, Elemental (2023), PG
  • August 17: Chollas Lake Amphitheater, The Little Mermaid (2023), PG

San Carlos

  • August 9: San Carlos Recreation Center, Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024), PG

San Ysidro

  • July 19: Cesar Chavez Community Center, Trolls Band Together (2023), PG

Santee

  • August 10: Santee Lakes, Migration (2023), PG
  • September 21: Town Center Community Park, Encanto (2021), PG

Serra Mesa

  • June 22: Wegeforth Elementary Joint Use Field, Monsters Inc (2001), G

Solana Beach

  • August 23: San Dieguito County Park, How to Train Your Dragon (2010), PG

Southeast San Diego

  • July 12: Willie Henderson Sports Complex, Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024), PG

South Bay

  • August 3: Montgomery-Waller Community Park, Elemental (2023), PG
  • August 9: Robert Egger Sr. South Bay Recreation Center, Under The Boardwalk (2023), G

Southcrest

  • October 19: Mt. Hope Cemetery, Monster House (2006), PG

Spring Valley

  • June 8: Sweetwater Place Park, The Little Mermaid (2023), PG
  • August 9: Spring Valley County Park, Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (2023), PG
  • September 13: Spring Valley County Park, Elemental (2023), PG

University City

  • June 1: Standley Recreation Center, The Sandlot (1993), PG
  • June 14: Doyle Recreation Center, Wonka (2023), PG
  • June 28: Nobel Recreation Center, Finding Nemo (2003), G
  • June 29: University City Village, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), PG
  • July 19: Villa La Jolla Park, Migration (2023), PG
  • July 20: Marcy Park, The Greatest Showman (2017), PG
  • July 27: University City Gardens, Wonka (2023), PG
  • August 23: Nobel Recreation Center, Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024), PG
  • October 26: Standley Recreation Center, Hotel Transylvania 3 (2018), PG

Vista

  • June 15: Buena Vista Softball Field, The Princess Bride (1987), PG
  • July 13: Brengle Terrace Softball Field, Wish (2023), PG
  • August 10: Brengle Terrace Softball Field, Barbie (2023), PG-13
  • September 28: Rancho Guajome Adobe County Park, Nacho Libre (2006), PG

any further adjustments!

Check out this article next

A Local Resident’s Take on the New SR-56 Bike Path Extension

A Local Resident’s Take on the New SR-56 Bike Path Extension

As someone whos called Rancho Penasquitos home for years, Ive seen plenty of changes around here. The latest one, though, might just be the most…

Read Article