New York City screens tons of FREE outdoor movies each summer, and many of them are just for kids and families, including the Movies Under the Stars series, which offers screenings in some of our favorite parks and playgrounds. While our list isn't as robust as in years past, we've still found a collection worth seeing, and we're overjoyed to see annual favorites like the Bryant Park Movie Nights making a triumphant return.

So grab your calendars, roll up your picnic blankets, and start plotting your FREE summer of entertainment now. We've found some paid options, too, in our roundup of drive-in movie theaters in and near NYC, and you can find more seasonal fun on our list of 100 FREE things to do in NYC this summer. Be sure to bookmark our Summer Fun Guide and Activity Calendar.

Movies usually begin when evening falls, between 8 and 8:30pm, but plan to arrive early to stake out a good viewing spot. Even if your local park is screening a flick you've watched a dozen times before, it's a totally different experience viewing it in the open air alongside other fans. It's a thrilling, communal event, and a summer rite of passage for New Yorkers of all ages.

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