It’s well known that when summer hits in Minnesota, we get outside for everything we can—eating, exercising, shopping, and more. Add to the list: watching movies and listening to music. We grab our blankets and lawn chairs and park ourselves on a piece of grass at any number of our hundreds of parks throughout the metro area (or as far as International Falls, Chatfield, Wabasha, Fergus Falls, or Spicer) to catch a flick or a concert. You can even combine outdoor dining with movies on the roof. So, whether you want to be scared by The Shining, humored by The Muppets, entertained by classical music or brought to your feet by swing, you’ll find just the event this summer. Best of all? Many of these events are free! There’s something going nearly every night all summer long, but here are a few highlights for June:
Minneapolis Music & Movies in the Parks

Lake Harriet Bandshell concert
Photo by Todd Buchanan
June 9: Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Bohanon Park
June 11: The Goonies, Lyndale Farmstead Park
June 15: Top Gun, Lake Harriet Bandshell
June 18: Despicable Me, Beltrami Park
June 19: U of M Alumni Concert Band, Lake Harriet Bandshell
June 21: Super 8, Powderhorn Park
June 22: 1987 World Series Game 7, Lake Harriet Bandshell
June 22: Minnesota Sinfonia, Lake Harriet Bandshell
June 25: Avatar, Phelps Park
June 28: The Princess Bride, Victory Memorial Drive
June 30: Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows, Morris Park
June 30: Minneapolis Pops Orchestra
Solera Rooftop, downtown Minneapolis
June 12: Field of Dreams
June 17: Seabiscuit
June 19: The Shining
June 24: Pricilla Queen of the Desert
June 26: Breakfast at Tiffany’s
St. Paul Music in the Parks
June 14: River City Jazz Orchestra, Como Lakeside Pavilion
June 18: The Fairlanes (a cappella), Rice Park
June 21: Minnesota Sinfonia, Phalen Amphitheater
June 26: Charlie & the Good Times, Mears Park
St. Paul Parks’ movies resume July 13 with The Smurfs. Two other popular events to keep an eye out for this summer: The Walker Art Center’s Music & Movies in Loring Park (starts July 30) and British films on the roof of Brit’s Pub (every Monday in August).