The Long Beach Gazettes newspaper brought awareness to the 11th annual Movies in the Park series. Signal Hill Petroleum has proudly been sponsoring the event since its inception. Continue reading the article below to learn more about this free family event.

Photo provided by the Gazettes – Star Wars: The Force Awakens kicks off Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine’s movies in the park series Monday, June 20, at Signal Hill Park.

Long Beach Movies in the Park

Gazettes – By Jennifer Rice Epstein, Editor

May 27, 2016

Family-friendly films are the emphasis for Movies in the Park, organized by the Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine.

The series, sponsored by Signal Hill Petroleum in cooperation with Partners of Parks — now in its 11th year — brings in recent titles. This season’s opener in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

“We just think it’s a great opportunity for something free and fun,” Jane Grobaty, a spokesperson for the parks department, said.

She advises would-be moviegoers to arrive early to get a good spot, enjoy a picnic dinner, and “let the kids have some fun.” There are a number of activities before the movie begins, including games, face painting and a moon bounce. Free popcorn is provided during the movie.

The movies will screen in parks throughout the city — and this year, one film, “Zootopia,” will be screened at the Long Beach Animal Care Services, too.

Ted Stevens, manager of Animal Care Services, said the idea to show an animal-themed movie at the shelter popped into his head one night, not long ago.

“It’s like a light bulb went off,” Stevens said. “I don’t know why I never thought of it before.”

The shelter will stay open late the night of the movie so people can “come through and look at adoptable animals until the movie starts,” he said.

And the showing itself will take place in the agility yard. Otherwise, he said, “it’ll be your typical movie in the park experience.”

Stevens said he hopes to make movie night at the shelter an annual event.

“Anything we can do to get people over here,” he said. “Hopefully, (we will) get a few animals adopted.”