Free Family Films to continue on Oct. 22 in Arkansas City

ARKANSAS CITY, Kan. — The 2019 Outdoor Family Movie Series will resume Tuesday night in downtown Arkansas City with a free movie in front of City Hall, 118 W. Central Ave.

The 2013 Disney film “Oz the Great and Powerful,” a prequel to the 1939 classic “The Wizard of Oz,” will be shown starting around 7:15 p.m. Tuesday (after dusk). This PG-rated film is sponsored by the Arkalalah Executive Committee. It is two hours and 10 minutes long.

In the film, a frustrated circus magician from Kansas (played by James Franco) is transported to a magical land called Oz, where he will have to fulfill a prophecy to become the king and release the land from the Wicked Witches using his great (but fake) powers.

The movie is a perfect tie-win with this year’s Arkalalah theme, “There’s No Place Like Home.”

Central Avenue will be blocked off at both First Street and Summit Street as Arkalalah vendors start to move in at 5 p.m., so moviegoers should plan to park north or west of City Hall and walk to Central.

In case of inclement weather, this movie will be postponed until sometime next week. One additional movie also is planned to be shown later this year to fulfill contractual obligations.

“We are so appreciative of the generous sponsors such as Arkalalah who make these wonderful events possible,” said City Manager Nick Hernandez. “If you are interested in being a sponsor in 2020, please call me or Andrew Lawson at (620) 441-4415 to discuss pricing.”

About the Outdoor Family Movie Series

The 2015 Outdoor Family Movie Series was a huge success in the debut season for the new V.J. Wilkins Memorial Stage at the rotunda, with particularly large crowds viewing “Big Hero 6” and “Frozen.”

The projection equipment, sound system and stage all were made possible by a generous grant received three years ago from the V.J. Wilkins Foundation, in order to promote arts throughout the city.

A special fall showing of “Inside Out” drew more than 300 people to the rotunda in November 2015, despite colder temperatures. Plans were launched then for more autumn showings in 2016 and 2017.

Various weather impacted attendance often in the spring and summer of 2016, but the season’s highlight undoubtedly was in June 2016, when more than 700 people packed Paris Park Pool for a special doubleheader, consisting of “Finding Nemo” and “Jaws,” during a free swim-in night at the pool.

The sequel event, featuring “Finding Dory,” drew more than 500 visitors to the pool on July 21, 2017.

The 2018 season kicked off May 5 with the first-ever Saturday night movie, “Coco,” which drew more than 150 people back to the rotunda following the inaugural Salsa Fest event on Cinco de Mayo.

Nearly 75 attended the June 12, 2018, showing of “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle,” the first-ever Tuesday movie, shown in conjunction with the Arkansas City Farm and Art Market’s monthly festival.

The 2019 season’s start was delayed one week by weather, but a decent crowd still showed up May 10 to enjoy a repeat airing of “Coco,” originally planned as a kickoff for the first-ever Tacolalah festival.

An estimated 200 people showed up June 14 to enjoy “Ralph Breaks the Internet” in Newkirk, Oklahoma. It was the third straight outreach movie shown in the community 10 miles south of Ark City.

This was followed by a fourth outreach movie on Oct. 12, when “Hocus Pocus” was shown at the Kay County Courthouse in conjunction with a fundraising event for the Kay County Amphitheatre project.