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Chicago’s beloved free movie nights under the skyline are officially back.
Millennium Park has announced the lineup for its 2026 Summer Film Series, bringing a mix of cult favorites, family classics and crowd-pleasing blockbusters to the Jay Pritzker Pavilion lawn beginning June 30. The weekly screenings, which are free to attend, have become one of the city’s quintessential summer traditions, equal parts hangout, outdoor theater and excuse to spend a Tuesday night downtown.
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This year’s series runs through August 18, with films starting at 6:30pm at the park’s massive open-air pavilion. Moviegoers are encouraged to bring blankets, chairs and takeout while settling beneath the Chicago skyline for screenings projected on the enormous screen.
The series kicks off June 30 with a 30th anniversary screening of Independence Day, followed by Ratatouille on July 7 as part of the Taste of Chicago festivities. On July 14, the park will host a tribute double feature to Rob Reiner with screenings of When Harry Met Sally and This Is Spinal Tap. There will be no screening on July 21 before the series resumes July 28 with a showing of Hamilton as part of the America 250th celebration. August’s lineup includes the 25th anniversary screening of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring on August 4, the 20th anniversary of The Devil Wears Prada on August 11 and a closing-night screening of Sinners on August 18.
The Summer Film Series is one of several free warm-weather programs returning to Millennium Park this year, alongside concerts, workouts and cultural events that transform the Loop destination into the city’s unofficial outdoor living room every summer.
For longtime Chicagoans, the screenings are less about the movie and more about the ritual of grabbing snacks, claiming a patch of lawn early and watching the sun disappear behind downtown skyscrapers before the opening credits roll. And in a city where summer always feels fleeting, free movie nights at Millennium Park remain one of the season’s most reliable pleasures.
The full schedule and additional details are available here.