The Reel Deal--in a Park

Inspired some 10 years ago by the films shown outdoors in New York City’s Bryant Park, and having subsequently visited similar venues across the country, longtime friends Amanda Jones and Darren Held are finally making their dream come true right at home in Long Beach. For five Fridays in a row starting Aug. 16, they’ll be turning Marina Green Park into a screening room, projecting films digitally on a 22-by-30-foot screen. Stressing the community-based nature of their idea, Held says they’re using this inaugural run to feel out what plays best and what people will turn out for--so they are showing a gamut of films, from newer family-friendly fare like “Shrek” to timeless classics like “Casablanca” and “The Wizard of Oz” to the however-you’d-care-to-classify-it “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.” They’re even promising some pre-movie live entertainment; opening for “Pearl Harbor” will be a National Guard exhibition. So plan to spread your blanket, bring an evening’s worth of snacks and enjoy.

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300 E. Ocean Blvd. (Marina Green Park, adjacent to the convention center), Long Beach. (888) 56-FILMS (563-4567), www.outdoorfilmseries.com. Admission is free, with a suggested donation of $5 per person.