The best outdoor cinema in London

‘Weather schmeather’ say the people behind Rooftop Film Club. Stratford and Peckham’s rooftop cinema institutions are firing up the projectors early this year – Peckham’s Bussey Building screen opens on April 10, and Roof East in Stratford from April 17 – and they’re employing a secret weapon against a bit of chilly night air this spring: snuggle power. Two-person ‘fireside loveseats’ come with a personal wood-fired heater and hot beverage (regular, snuggle-free seating is available). On the programme are recent hits like ‘Wicked’, ‘Nosferatu’, ‘Anora’ and ‘Moana 2’, as well as evergreen classics (‘La La Land’, ‘Notting Hill’, ‘10 Things I Hate About You’, ‘When Harry Met Sally’…), and a ‘Friends’ watch party. Tickets come in at £18 for adults and £8 for children, and there’s a 20 percent discount if you book before the end of March.

Street food, river views and five family-friendly movies… what could be better than July’s outdoor screenings in Vauxhall’s Pleasure Gardens? Just the fact that they’re all completely free. Running every Tuesday evening from July 8 at 7pm, this leafy Thames-side spot will be welcoming all-comers for screenings of 2019’s ‘Aladdin’, ‘Jumanji – Welcome to the Jungle’, ‘Mean Girls’ and ‘Sister Act II: Back in the Habit’. Picnic blankets and chairs are a fiver to hire, and there’s an array of street food options to tuck into. Book ahead because spots are limited.

There are few more striking spots to catch a movie than the iconic surrounds of the Barbican Sculpture Court. As usual, the City of London’s temple of the arts has an inventively curated line-up in store for the final week of August. Cineastes can revel in the cult sci-fi extravaganza that is David Lynch’s 1984 ‘Dune’, while music lovers have an outdoor screening of Björk’s mesmerising new concert movie ‘Cornucopia’. Standard tickets are £18 (£12 for under-25s and £10 for under-18s) and there’s street food to feast on while you sit back, relax and enjoy the show. 

There’s loads going on at British Summer Time’s eight-day Open House, with orchestral performances, DJ sets, workshops, family-friendly activities, and assorted Pride festivities. Nestled in them amongst them are free evening movie screenings. Things kick off with ‘The Garfield Movie’ on Monday, June 30 and finish with a showing of ‘Dune: Part Two’. In between you’ve got your pick of ‘Thelma’, ‘The Goonies’, a singalong version of ‘Wicked’, ‘The Fall Guy’, ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ or ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’. 

Helping replace Canary Wharf’s corporate image with something fun and family-friendly, Canada Square Park will be screening movies and sporting events up on its big screens this summer. There’s a packed programme of free movies, taking in everything from ‘Mrs Doubtfire’ (June 15), to ‘Invictus’ (September 23). There are two Bollywood movies on the bill, too – sci-fi action thriller ‘Ra.One’ (July 15) and life-affirming vacation film ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’ (August 3). It’s very much a BYO set-up, so bring your own blankets and snacks – though there’s a Waitrose nearby for any last-minute picnic needs.

Vision Cinema has stopping by several London locations this summer for a series of summer al fresco film screenings. It’ll be at Cator Park in Greenwich from June 20-22, Millennium Green in Poplar from July 11-13, Royal Arsenal Riverside in Berkeley on July 18-20 and at Hackney’s Britannia Leisure Centre from August 8-10. Expect a line-up that’ll satisfy any kind of film fan, like The Hangover Part II for comedy buffs, The Monkey for the action heads and Despicable Me 4 for something more family-friendly. 

Waterloo’s Lower Marsh buzzes with fun-loving energy on a rainy winter’s night, so it doesn’t need​ an excuse to put on a street party on a sunny summer evening. Still, Lower Marsh Lates is providing one with a run of outdoor screenings right in the thick of it all – and perfectly positioned for some of the best street food (and cocktail) options in town. On the slate are ‘Mamma Mia!’ (June 26), ‘Dirty Dancing’ (July 31) and ‘Grease’ (August 28), all kicking off at 6.30pm with live music starting an hour earlier.

Watch movies by the water at Everyman’s perennially popular pop-up on the Regent’s Canal at King’s Cross. Crowds will flock to these canal-side steps, rain or shine, between June 30 and August 17, for a free line-up of flicks including Breakfast at Tiffany's, Grease, Parent Trap, Top Gun: Maverick, Bohemian Rhapsody, and Encanto.

This year, Everyman has also called on designer and ‘architect of joy’ Yinka Ilori to create a screen design that echoes ‘the fantastical landscapes’ explored in Disney movies. Which should make the setting even more Instagrammable. Walk-ins are welcome, but be sure to arrive early to secure a spot.

Head to the official Everyman site for more info on the screenings. 

Location in the walled gardens of Hertfordshire’s The Grove hotel, Everyman’s pop-up is a special occasion option – because you’ll need to splash out for a room for the night or dinner in one of the hotel restaurants to experience it. Still, if you're up for a luxe take on the al fresco cinema thing, then give it a whirl: a crowdpleasing line-up of movies spans Dirty Dancing, Pitch Perfect, When Harry Met Sally, and quite a few kids faves including Minions and Paddington in Peru. The beanbags and headphones are all top of the range.