A New Take on an Old Summer Pastime

My family spends a week every summer in Seaside, Florida. Seaside is a very nostalgic place that feels somewhat like you're stepping back in time. This summer there was a movie night in the town square where they projected a movie onto the side of a building, and people of all ages gathered with their lawn chairs, blankets, and snacks to enjoy a fun night of free entertainment. I got to thinking I could recreate this old summer pastime in my own backyard for my family and friends. You could, too!

Here's all you would need:

A Large Screen

Now there's a couple ways you could do this. You could call your local audio-visual rental store to get info for renting a projector and just use a white sheet to show the movie on. Or you could use the large flat screen TV and DVD player you already have in your home and use an extension cord to bring it outside. Just be sure to check to make sure there's no rain in the forecast! Love the look of this backyard setup as featured on Miss Design.

Seating

Lawn chairs and blankets like these featured on Design Sponge (to left) are a great, inexpensive option for seating. You could even tell your guests to bring their own (of course have extras for those who forget)! Or you could get a little more creative and use this idea of lining up hay bales! How cute!

Snacks

Food and drinks are a necessity for any outdoor movie party. You could be as creative as you want. Stock up on movie theater candy at your local drugstore, and of course have lots and lots of popcorn ready to serve! You could even order 100 of these carnival style popcorn boxes for only $15.95!

Serve beer, wine, and soft drinks in an iced bucket to enjoy while watching the movie as featured on Unstitched Blog.

What better way to end the summer than to invite all your friends over for a fun outdoor movie night? Feel free to share your ideas of what you would include at your own backyard soiree in the comments below. Oh, and most importantly, don't forget to choose a great movie everyone will enjoy! Right now I would have to pick...

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