Free Friday Flicks at the Hatch Shell

Some summer traditions don't need much more than a blanket, a picnic, and a good movie. Free Friday Flicks returns to the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade, where thousands gather each Friday night to watch family-friendly films beneath the stars with the Charles River as the backdrop. People arrive well before sundown to claim a spot on the lawn, snack on picnic dinners, and settle in as the sky darkens and the big screen comes to life. It's one of those unmistakably Boston evenings that locals look forward to every year, equal parts movie night, riverside picnic, and community gathering. Best of all, all you have to do is show up, find a patch of grass, and let the opening credits roll.