New York City is renowned for outdoor summer entertainment and one of the most popular forms is open-air cinema. Whether it’s in a park or on a rooftop, the silver screen becomes almost as common in New York as hotdog stands in July and August.

The biggest and longest-running outdoor film festival is HBO Bryant Park, located behind New York’s Public Library. Starting On June 21st and continuing through to the end of August, movies will be screened every Monday night, kicking off with the James Bond classic Goldfinger.

At the movies in NYC

At the movies in NYC

If indie films and documentaries are more your thing, check out the program at Rooftop Films which, as the name suggests, presents underground films on the city’s rooftops together with a Q&A from the director.

New York’s summer film festivals often show movies that take the city as inspiration. Such is the case of the River to River festival (Elevated Acre, 55 Water Street) by the East River, which will show such classics as Broadway Danny Rose and Muppets Take Manhattan. One similar note, Habana Outpost festival on Fort Greene will show Fame, A Bronx Tale and Flashdance.

Families should not miss Movies Under the Bridge, a free series of blockbusters screened on the shores of Long Island Sounds. Beginning August 17th, popcorn is included in the (free) admission price.