Nothing beats chilling out in a movie theater on a sweltering hot summer day. We also love a free family movie under the stars on a warm evening. With prices at just a few bucks to free, the Indy area has some awesome, affordable options for cooling off in front of a big screen this summer. Here’s our list of cheap and free summer movies 2024.
* Asterisks note summer movie programs and series not yet announced for 2024. Most are popular annual events that we expect to see return! This list will be updated with specific dates, times, and titles as information is available.
Movie Theaters with Free or Cheap Summer Movies
Cinemark Movies 8 Greenwood
1848 E Stop 13 Rd, Indianapolis, IN
Cinemark Movies 8 Greenwood is offering $1.50 children’s movies every Wednesday beginning on June 19 and running through August 10. Every week a different movie will be shown.
*Showtime Cinema
300 Southbridge St Mooresville, IN
Every Wednesday from June 7th -July 26th at Showtime Cinema, find family favorites for only 50 cents per person or a donation of a non-perishable food item.
*Artcraft Theatre
57 N Main St, Franklin, IN
The Summer Break Series at the Artcraft Theatre offers a different $5 movie every week. The movies are shown every Tuesday at 10 am, with the $5 fee including admission, a small drink, and a small popcorn.
Regal Cinema $2 Summer Movie Express
Indianapolis, Carmel, Noblesville, Greenwood
Bring your whole family to the Regal Theater near you for the Summer Movie Express series. This summer favorite is a great activity for families looking for things to do during summer break. Summer Movie Express films are shown on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings and tickets are just $2. The movies are selections that your whole family can enjoy.
Regal also offers $2 family films every Saturday morning year-round. Check with individual venues for accurate information on what is being shown in upcoming weeks.
*Emagine Noblesville
13825 Norell Rd, Noblesville
Catch daily morning matinees all summer long featuring kid-approved movies. The Summer Kids Series runs June 9-August 17, 2023. Every week, the same film is shown each morning and selections change weekly. Tickets are just $3 per person and a Magic Pack drink and popcorn combo is specially priced at $5.
AMC Summer Movie Camp for Kids
Multiple Central Indiana Locations
AMC’s Summer Movie Camp offers a family-friendly film returning to the big screen each week. You have two chances to catch each movie, beginning June 24 and ending August 14. Tickets for these special Monday and Wednesday showings are $3 per person. Summer Movie Camp films are shown in the mornings and early afternoon during matinee hours.
*VIP Legacy 9 Summer Family Flicks
2347 W. Main Street, Greenfield
FREE family movies in an air-conditioned theater? Count us in! VIP Legacy 9 in Greenfield will screen a different film every week on Wednesday and Thursday mornings at 10 — and yes, they are free. The Summer Family Flicks series begins June 7 and runs through August 10. The theater does not take reservations for these movies and seats are first-come, first-served.
*GQT Brownsburg 8 Summer Family Flicks
1555 N Green St, Brownsburg
Head to Brownsburg for another totally free summer movie series for kids and their families. Family-friendly films will be shown each Wednesday and Thursday at 10 am, beginning June 7 and running through August 10. The theater does not take reservations for these movies and seats are first-come, first-served.
Outdoor Free Summer Movies 2024
If you would rather watch a movie under the stars, check out these FREE summer movies 2024.
*Riverside Park
2420 E Riverside Dr, Indianapolis
Indy Parks and Recreation presents a series of free movies under the stars at Riverside Park. One movie per month will be offered, each on a Friday night and starting at 9 pm.
*Arbuckle Acres Park
200 N Green St, Brownsburg
Pack some snacks or a picnic for dinner and a show. Brownsburg Parks hosts several family movie nights with free admission throughout the summer. Be sure to bring a blanket or lawn chair! Themed activities begin at 6:30 and movies begin at 7:30.
Grand Junction Plaza
225 S Union St, Westfield
Come out to Grand Junction Plaza with your family and friends to enjoy a free evening of entertainment on the Great Lawn. Movies will begin at 6:30. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs to cozy up and enjoy the movie!
June 14: TBD
July 12: TBD
July 19: TBD
August 30: TBD
September 6: TBD
Meridian Park Family Aquatic Center
101 McKinley Street, Shelbyville
Toss on your swimsuit and splash about as you watch movies on a floating screen. No outside food or drinks are allowed to be brought in, but there will be concessions available to purchase. This free first-come, first-serve dive-in movie will have limited capacity, so be sure to plan arrival time accordingly! Gates open at 7:30 and the movie begins at dusk.
July 19: Elemental
*Midtown Carmel
365 Monon Blvd, Carmel
Midtown is making it easy to catch a film, with showings every Tuesday and Thursday from May 2 through October 31. Seating is available at Midtown, but you may want to pack your own lawn chairs to be safe. Bring a picnic or grab a meal from one of the restaurants surrounding the plaza.
Movie titles will be released periodically on Facebook and Instagram. Tuesday showings are at noon and 6 pm. Thursday showings are at 6 pm only.
*Movies at the MAC
Garfield Park’s Macallister Amphitheater, 2425 Conservatory Dr, Indianapolis
Join the community for a movie under the stars at the Garfield Park Arts Center’s west field! Bring a seat, your friends and family, and enjoy a screening of a family favorite.
Concessions/food will not be available, but you can bring your own. No alcohol allowed. Movies begin at approximately 9 pm.
*Newfields Summer Nights Movie Series
4000 N. Michigan Road, Indianapolis
While not free, Summer Nights is a beloved outdoor summer movie series. Pack up a picnic dinner and enjoy a summer movie at The Amphitheater at Newfields. Tickets sell out quickly, so be sure to mark your calendar with your favorite selection of movies and snatch up your tickets as soon as they’re available.
Tickets are $9 for members and $12 for non-members. Children need tickets too, but kids aged 5 & under get their tickets for free.
*The Shops at Perry Crossing
2499 Perry Crossing Way, Plainfield
Bring a lawn chair or blanket to the Town Square courtyard at the Shops at Perry Crossing. On specific Thursdays throughout the summer, catch family-friendly movies with pre-show activities. Festivities start at 6 pm, and the movie begins at 8 pm.
Scamahorn Park
130 E. Main Street, Pittsboro
The Pittsboro Parks Department shows a series of family-friendly movies throughout the summer at Scamahorn Park. Movie screenings start approximately at dusk, so the event times change throughout the season. All events include free popcorn, courtesy of the Parks Department!
June 8: TBA
Other dates may be announced
Williams Park
940 S Locust Ln, Brownsburg
Pack some snacks or a picnic for dinner and a show. Brownsburg Parks hosts several kid movie nights with free admission throughout the summer. Be sure to bring a blanket or lawn chair! Themed activities begin at 6 and movies begin at 7.
June 21: Space Jam: A New Legacy
July 26: Detective Pikachu
August 23: (Double Feature) Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle & Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
*Mill Race Park
50 Carl Miske Drive, Columbus
The Columbus Park Foundation sponsors this monthly series of summer films. Bring a blanket and snacks, along with your favorite people, to join the community for a popular movie. Movies begin at dusk and the exact start time will be announced two days prior to the event.
*Forest Park Aquatic Center
1077 Cicero Rd, Noblesville
You’ll have to pay a $5 fee to join the fun at Forest Park Aquatic Center’s Flix and Float events, but those few dollars are worth it! Members get in free. Hop in the pool to stay cool while you watch a favorite family film on the Aquatic Center’s amazingly bright LED screen. Movie start times vary throughout the season, so verify with the Aquatic Center before you go.
*Federal Hill Commons
175 Logan Street, Noblesville
Movies in the Park, presented by Noblesville Parks Department, provides outdoor cinema into the fall months. Movies are shown on select Friday evenings in August and September. Arrive early to play on the playground and films begin at dusk. The movie lineup is typically announced early in the summer.
*Old City Park
304 S Meridian St, Greenwood
Families in Greenwood typically have a few opportunities to catch a free film under the stars later in the summer or early fall. Dates are often announced during the summer months.
Independence Park
3097 32nd Street, Nineveh
Join Johnson County Parks and the Johnson County Public Library for these late summer movie nights at Independence Park. Bring your blankets or chairs and enjoy free admission and free popcorn, courtesy of the Historic Artcraft Theater.
August 24: Kung Fu Panda 4
September 14: Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie
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