Vancouver Art Gallery Outdoor Movies

Summer Movie Nights are when free outdoor films take place on Wednesday evenings in the north plaza outside the Vancouver Art Gallery in July and August.

After not happening since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the movies took place on Thursday evenings from July 7th to August 18th in 2022.

Another great downtown venue where outdoor movies take place is the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Plaza. That’s were Sunset Cinema happened on the Wednesdays of August 3rd, 17th, 24th and 31st in 2022.

Both Summer Movie Nights and Sunset Cinema are likely taking place again in 2023. Exact details, however, are to be confirmed.

Downtown Vancouver Summer Movie Nights

In years when they aren’t cancelled due to virus pandemics, free outdoor movies happen in parks and plazas all across the Lower Mainland in the summer. In Vancouver on different days of the week there are free films in front of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, in Stanley Park and in the plaza outside the Vancouver Art Gallery, among other places.

To learn about the movies by the Vancouver Art Gallery, continue reading. To learn about free summer film opportunities in other locations, click Free Vancouver Outdoor Movies.

Summer Movie Nights

Free movies were shown in the plaza outside the Vancouver Art Gallery in the 800 block of West Georgia Street on the following Thursdays in 2022. All of the films started at around 9:00 pm. 2023 details will likely be similar.

(Note: Times are approximate and details are subject to change.)

7th of July, 2022 – Mean Girls
14th of July, 2022 – Jumanji (1995)
21st of July, 2022 – Spider-Man: No Way Home
28th of July, 2022 – Moulin Rouge
4th of August, 2022 – Space Jam (1996)
11th of August, 2022 – Jurassic Park (1993)
18th of August, 2022 – Either Dune or Godzilla vs. Kong

Ahead of the screenings on each night there are usually various activities in the plaza that begin at 4:00 pm. In past years these have included mini golf games, live music, roving performers like stilt walkers and more.

Tips and Advice

Below are some tips and extra information to help you make the most out of your Downtown Vancouver movie experience.

TIP #1: A disadvantage of the Vancouver Art Gallery venue for movies is the noise. West Georgia is a very busy and noisy street. One advantage compared to venues elsewhere at parks, however, is you’ll be less likely to be bothered by mosquitos.

TIP #2: Because of the traffic noise, try to find a spot away from West Georgia Street and not too far from one of the speakers. Arrive early to get a good spot.

TIP #3: Take your own chair, a blanket and something warm to wear (as it can get cool in the evening).

TIP #4: The official name of the plaza on the north side of the Vancouver Art Gallery is šx????n?q Xwtl’e7énk Square. šx????n?q Xwtl’e7énk is an Indigenous term that means “important cultural gathering place”. The name was adopted with respect and in recognition of the fact that Vancouver is on the unceded traditional territories of the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. The word, to the best of our non-expert ability, is pronounced (very approximately) like “Hootlacken”.