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Friday, March 29
The Indiana Daily Student

arts

Bryan Park movies back in town

Last Friday marked the opening season of the 17th year for the Movies in the Park film series in Bloomington’s Bryan Park.

At dusk on Fridays, Bryan Park will be transformed into a scenic viewing space for films, including today’s showing “Iron Man,” said Greg Jacobs, community events coordinator for the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department.

“It’s a way to connect and provide services in Bloomington that are offered outside of the city to bring them directly to the people,” Jacobs said. “It’s a way to offer something besides concerts.”

The viewings, coordinated by the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department, began in 1997, he said.

Films continued to be shown once a year for five consecutive weeks in partnership with the Writers’ Series.

“It was really to offer other cultural entertainment in the parks during the summer,” Jacobs said.

When the viewings began, films were shown directly after a concert ended, often not beginning until 10 p.m.

However, this week things will revert slightly to how they were in the past, he said.

“This Bloomington Symphony Orchestra was rescheduled due to a rainout,” Jacobs said. “They will play from about 6 to 7:15 p.m. before the movie this Friday.

Although there will be musical entertainment before the movie tonight, there is usually activities before the showings anyway.

“Sometimes we break out karaoke, sometimes we break out the Wii,” he said. “If people show up a bit early, we provide them with something to do.”

Friday, Aug. 29, the parks and recreation department will offer a “Play Day!” from 6 to 8 p.m. before the movie showing.

Jacobs said Revolution Bike and Bean will partner with the department to offer biking to the park, as well as other activities.

“People can ride to the park and check their bike for free and don’t have to worry about locking it up,” Jacobs said.

While the films shown usually have a PG or occasionally a PG-13 rating, the crowd generated is not just exclusive to families.

Generating a crowd anywhere from 100 to 600 people, the movies draw in ?people from diverse groups, he said.

Viewers picnic, bring their families, dates or come in groups from young to old. Movies are app ropiate for all ages and open to all.

The Movies in the Park series, projected onto a 16-by-9 foot screen, typically brings in around 300 viewers per week, Jacobs said.

The schedule for the free viewings can be located at the parks and recreation website.

All movies begin at dusk.

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