The city of Palmdale’s popular Family Movie Nights return to the Palmdale Amphitheater four Friday evenings this summer featuring family favorite blockbuster hits.
Coming to the Amphitheater’s screen will be “The Lion King” (July 6), “Despicable Me 3” (July 13), and “The Little Mermaid” (Aug. 3), and “Coco” on Aug. 10.
“Family Movie Nights has become a beloved summer tradition for Palmdale families,” said Keri Smith, director of Recreation and Culture. “They bring our community together in a festive environment, where laughter and fun reign supreme. It’s awesome to see so many attendees dress up as their favorite movie characters and make this more than a movie — it’s an experience.”
Tickets for Family Movie Nights are $4, with kids 12 years and under admitted free and are available beginning at 5 p.m. on the day of each movie, cash only. Children 12 years and under must be accompanied by an adult. Parking is free. Gates open at 6 p.m. with movies beginning at dusk (or when it’s dark enough for the movie to be seen on the screen). Bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on. Moviegoers may bring a picnic dinner and non-alcoholic beverages to Family Movie Nights (bags and coolers will be checked at the gate). Snack vendors will be on-site. Free family activities will be available from 6 to 8 p.m. while supplies last.
“The Lion King” follows the adventures of the young lion Simba (Matthew Broderick), the heir of his father, Mufasa (James Earl Jones). Simba’s wicked uncle, Scar (Jeremy Irons), plots to usurp Mufasa’s throne by luring father and son into a stampede of wildebeests. But Simba escapes, and only Mufasa is killed. Simba returns as an adult to take back his homeland from Scar with the help of his friends Timon (Nathan Lane) and Pumbaa (Ernie Sabella). Rated G.
In “Despicable Me 3,” the mischievous Minions hope that Gru (Steve Carell) and his wife Lucy (Kristen Wiig) will return to a life of crime after the new boss of the Anti-Villain League fires him. Instead, Gru decides to remain retired and travel to Freedonia to meet his long-lost twin brother for the first time. The reunited siblings soon find themselves in an uneasy alliance to take down the elusive Balthazar Bratt (Trey Parker), a former 1980s child star who seeks revenge against the world. Rated PG.
In Disney’s beguiling animated “The Little Mermaid,” rebellious 16-year-old mermaid Ariel (Jodi Benson) is fascinated with life on land. On one of her visits to the surface, which are forbidden by her father King Triton (Kenneth Mars), she falls for a human prince. Determined to be with her new love, Ariel makes a dangerous deal with the sea witch Ursula (Pat Carroll) to become human for three days. But when plans go awry for the star-crossed lovers, the king must make the ultimate sacrifice for his daughter. Rated G.
Academy Award winner for Best Animated Feature Film, “Coco” is the story of young Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) who dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt), despite his family’s generations-old ban on music. Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead. After meeting a charming trickster named Héctor (Gael Garcia Bernal), the two new friends embark on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel’s family history. Rated PG.
The Palmdale Amphitheater is located at 2723 Rancho Vista Blvd. For more details, call (661) 267-5611 or visit www.PalmdaleAmphitheater.com.
