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We all love movie nights. These recreational events are an opportunity to relive an old classic, share some favorites with your friends and family, or discover something entirely new. Whatever type of movie you choose to watch, you’ll be surrounded by people you love with plenty of opportunities to bond and discuss the material.
You can make your movie nights even more exciting by hosting them outdoors. But what steps do you need to take to host an outdoor movie night?
Choose Your Screening Method
The most important question you’ll need to answer is how you’re going to screen the movie. When you host a movie night indoors, this is easy; all you have to do is play the movie on your TV. But most people don’t have TVs outdoors by default.
Thankfully, you have a few options here. If you’re willing to purchase a projector, you can project a movie onto a flat, white wall of your house, or something like an inflatable movie screen. If you don’t have a projector and you’re not interested in buying one, your best bet is to bring a TV outside. If you do this, be extra cautious about the weather and make sure to bring the TV back inside when you’re done.
Once you have a movie screening method chosen, all the other details can start to fall into place.
Plan for Snacks and Drinks
Most people expect movie nights to come with snacks and drinks. While it’s perfectly enjoyable to watch a movie empty handed, there’s nothing like a fistful of popcorn or a tall fountain drink to enrich the experience.
One of the best ways to host an outdoor movie night is with a full outdoor kitchen, which could include an outdoor flattop grill as well as appliances like a refrigerator, stove, and oven. If you’re willing to go all out, you could cook a full, multi-course meal for your guests – and even make sure it’s themed appropriately for the movies you’re screening.
If you don’t have the budget or the time to invest in an outdoor kitchen or cook a full meal, don’t worry. Go for some simple options like a freshly popped bag of popcorn, pretzels, peanuts, and candies. You should also bring out a cooler full of soft drinks – or maybe some alcoholic beverages if you’re hosting a group of adults.
Select the Movie (or a Theme)
Next, you’ll need to think about what movie you want to screen. There’s really no limit to what you can choose, but you should consider your audience and the vibe of the movie night that you want to create. Some people prefer to screen recent movies so they can catch up on the latest blockbusters. Some prefer old, nostalgic hits they already know by heart. Others intentionally watch bad movies so they can relentlessly make fun of them. There are no wrong options!
You can also choose a theme for your movie night and choose two (or more) movies to screen back to back. For example, you could screen old westerns like The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly and Once Upon a Time in the West. Or you could screen shark-related movies like Jaws and Sharknado.
Invite Your Guests
With your movie or theme chosen, it will be time to invite your guests. Depending on your setup, you may be able to host anywhere from 8 to 20 people; unless your backyard is enormous, you probably won’t be able to accommodate more people than this. Try to send out invites, or at least a save the date, as soon as possible to maximize attendance.
Wait Until Dark (but Provide Lighting)
It’s technically possible to screen outdoor movies during the day, but you’ll make much more of an impact at night. People will be able to see the screen clearer and there will be fewer distractions to deal with. Still, you should provide some lighting to your guests so they can navigate outdoors without hurting themselves.
Anticipate Bugs
Backyard bugs can quickly put a damper on your outdoor festivities if you’re caught off guard. Citronella candles, incense, a bonfire, and conventional repellent can all help you manage this issue. Advise your guests to wear long sleeves.
Create a Plan for Rain
Make sure you have a game plan in place for rain or other forms of bad weather. Are you going to bring the TV inside and finish the movie indoors? Are you going to cancel and reschedule the event? Are you going to provide umbrellas and stick it out? There are many viable options; the point is to have a plan.
With all these variables decided, you should be in a great position to host your outdoor movie night. Whatever you watch, we hope it’s a great time for everyone!
