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.

All Summer Movie Nights were cancelled in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. This was the case in 2021 as well. They return in 2022, however, on Thursday evenings from July 7th to August 18th.

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

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 are to be shown in the plaza outside the Vancouver Art Gallery in the 800 block of West Georgia Street on the following dates in 2022. All of the films start at around 9:00 pm.

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

Thursday, July 7, 2022 – Mean Girls
Thursday, July 14, 2022 – Jumanji (1995)
Thursday, July 21, 2022 – Spider-Man: No Way Home
Thursday, July 28, 2022 – Moulin Rouge
Thursday, August 4, 2022 – Space Jam (1996)
Thursday, August 11, 2022 – Jurassic Park (1993)
Thursday, August 18, 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”.