Have you had a chance to catch an outdoor movie yet this summer?
Last night we went to Lyndale Farmstead Park in south Minneapolis to catch “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.” It was probably the best spot to catch a movie last night: we lay on a blanket on the hill under the almost-cloudless sky, our attention split between Indy’s wild adventures and a surprisingly clear view of the Big Dipper (stargazing in the city is hard due to all the light).
This is a great use of a great hill: in the winter, it’s called “King’s Hill” and is very popular with sledders; in the summer, it gives stadium seating better than any fancy movie theater, because even the fanciest movie theaters don’t have soft grass and clover to lie in. Though the hill was far too crowded last night with moviegoers to test out my theory, I suspect this is also a great place for an exuberant roll.
At the top of the hill is the Thedore Wirth House, built in 1910 to lure Theodore Wirth to Minneapolis to expand the city park system. Jayne Miller, the current superintendent of Minneapolis parks, lives in the house today–not a bad spot to be, with all the fun going on around the house!
Didn’t catch the movie? No worry! There are plenty more movies on the schedule this summer, and parks all over. And not just in Minneapolis! St. Paul, Osseo, Rosemount, Eden Prairie, and Duluth are doing outdoor movies too: check out our roundup!
Did I miss an outdoor movie event in your neighborhood? Let me know and I’ll do an update!
