One favorite summer tradition of Indianapolis residents is to pack up a picnic dinner and enjoy an outdoor summer movie at the Newfields Summer Nights. The outdoor Amphitheater at Newfields (Indianapolis Museum of Art or IMA) is host to outdoor movies under the stars.
Tickets for Newfields Summer Nights Movies
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 on May 6, 2025. Are you a Newfields member? Your membership includes early access to these popular tickets, starting on April 30, 2026. Tickets are $10 for members and $13 for non-members. Children need tickets too, but a free ticket is available for children aged 5 & under. If your family qualifies for the Access Pass, you can snag tickets for $5 each. For $10, guests can rent outdoor seating at most of the showings or purchase a reserved blanket for $25. Newfields staff will set up ahead of time, letting you arrive in style.
Arrive early to take part in a variety of pre-show activities like movie trivia, summer games, exclusive talks, and performances from local icons, and keep the fun rolling with live music from local DJs before every screening.
Along with a season full of family favorite picks, scary thrillers, and decades-old classics, Newfields will also host the Indy Shorts International Film Festival on July 24-25, 2026.
| Buy tickets | <– Available on April 30th (Members) or May 5th (Public)
2026 Summer Nights Movie Lineup at Newfields
All movies begin when “twilight turns to night,” which in the past has been around 9:30 pm. Doors open at 7 pm so you can get a good seat and enjoy a picnic dinner, music, and activities.
- Thursday, June 4: Roman Holiday (1953, dir. William Wyler, 118 mins., Approved)
Friday, June 5: Troop Beverly Hills (1989, dir. Jeff Kanew, 105 mins., PG)
Friday, June 12: Some Like It Hot (1959, dir. Billy Wilder, 121 mins., Approved)
Friday, June 19: Dreamgirls (2006, dir. Bill Condon, 130 mins., PG-13) Shown in The Garden
Saturday, June 20: Sinners (2025, dir. Ryan Coogler, 137 mins., R)
Thursday, July 2: Hamilton (2020, dir. Thomas Kail, 160 mins., PG-13) Shown in The Garden
Friday, July 3: Jaws (1975, dir. Steven Spielberg, 124 mins., PG) Shown in The Garden
Friday, July 10: A League of Their Own (1992, dir. Penny Marshall, 128 mins., PG)
Friday, July 17: Cabaret (1972, dir. Bob Fosse, 124 mins., PG)
Friday, July 24: Indy Shorts International Film Festival Summer Nights Screenings
Saturday, July 25: Indy Shorts International Film Festival Summer Nights Screenings
Friday, July 31: Selena (1997, dir. Gregory Nava, 127 mins., PG)
Thursday, August 6: Top Hat (1935, dir. Mark Sandrich, 101 mins., Approved)
Friday, August 7: The Fifth Element (1997, dir. Luc Besson, 126 mins., PG-13)
Friday, August 14: Stage Fright (1950, dir. Alfred Hitchcock, 111 mins., Approved)
Saturday, August 15: Om Shanti Om (2007, dir. Farah Khan, 162 mins., NR)
Friday, August 21: Black Panther (2018, dir. Ryan Coogler, 134 mins., PG-13)
Friday, August 28: My Neighbor Totoro (1988, dir. Hayao Miyazaki, 87 mins., G) Shown in The Tobias Theater
Saturday, August 29: The Princess Bride (1987, dir. Rob Reiner, 98 mins., PG)
Buy Tickets for Newfields Summer Nights
Tickets can sell out quickly, so mark your calendar so you don’t miss out. Ticket sales open at 11 a.m. on April 30th for members only. On May 5th, grab your phone; tickets go on sale for everyone else at 11 am.
What to Bring to Summer Nights at Newfields
Pack a yummy picnic, but leave the alcoholic beverages at home. Or, purchase concessions at the event. Bring a chair if you’d like to sit in the back row of each tier, or bring along blankets to spread out. Blankets are recommended for all in case chair seating areas are full.
Bug spray is a MUST, and most evenings you’ll also need sunscreen if you arrive when the doors open.
Concessions will be available up to thirty minutes before the movie starts, offering popcorn, light snacks, and alcoholic beverages for purchase. Newfields is currently a cashless campus; credit or debit cards are the only forms of payment accepted at this time. Plan to come early to snag the perfect spot!
Newfields Summer Nights Rain Plan
The Newfields Summer Nights Film Series takes place rain or shine. In the event of inclement weather, films will be shown in The Tobias Theater at 9 p.m. If the screening is halted due to inclement weather less than 45 minutes into the screening, guests will receive a full refund.
Visit Newfields for FREE on First Thursdays or head to the Virginia B. Fairbanks Art and Nature Park, which has free admission every day.
Here’s where you can watch family-friendly flicks under the stars all summer long.
