Surfside’s “Movies After Dark” Lights Up Vacation Nights

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It’s a treat without equal: cuddling up with your kids and watching a movie … under the stars.

Pack your lawn chairs and blankets and head on over to the beautiful Surfside Beach on Thursday nights to partake in their second annual Movies After Dark series. A host of family-friendly films are projected onto an inflatable screen at Martin Field, where families have plenty of room to spread out and have fun. But mainly, the kids do something extraordinary — nothing.

“Most of them just sit there and watch the movie,” said Surfside Beach’s Special Events Coordinator Debbie Ellis. This, of course, is a welcome departure from the go-go-go energy of vacations, and a nice way to wrap up the week. But if your brood catches a second wind and gets a little wild, Ellis said there are baseball fields nearby. The antsiest among you can run the bases when the mood (or a sugar rush) strikes. But who wants to do that when there’s a great movie on the docket?

This summer’s schedule is as follows.

June 19: Rookie of the Year

June 26: Madagascar 2

July 10: Night at the Museum

July 17: Madagascar 3

July 24: Marmaduke

July 31: Kung Fu Panda

August 8: Mr. Peabody & Sherman

August 14: Rio 2

Local eatery Sophia’s provides concessions, and everything — popcorn, hot dogs, nachos, drinks and more — is $1. Folks are welcome to bring their own food, too (no smoking and no alcohol, it should be noted).

Admission is free and movies begin at 9 p.m. on Thursday nights in the summer months. Martin Field is located on Dogwood Drive between 6th and 7th Avenue South. Picnic shelters and restrooms available on site.

For more information, go to http://www.surfsidebeach.org/index.html

(posted 6/26/14)