Best outdoor cinema experiences in London and across the UK this summer

In this guide, we’re sharing with you the best outdoor cinema experiences to try across the UK. An outdoor cinema features a movie projector, scaffolded screen construction or inflatable movie screen, and a state-of-the-art sound system, so you can hear your favourite movie above the hubbub; some outdoor cinema experiences even provide you with wireless earphones.

Outdoor cinemas date back to as early as the turn of the 20th century, with Syntagma Square in Athens projecting films outdoors and in cafés. In 1916, outdoor cinemas landed in Berlin, and during the 1920s, New York began sporting rooftop theatres. So, if you visit a cinema experience this month, you’re actually participating in a slice of history...

Lights, camera, action! These are the best outdoor cinemas to experience this summer.

Wondering what to do in London this weekend? Our guide has got you covered.

Best outdoor cinema experiences at a glance:

• Barbican Outdoor Cinema
• Moonlight Flicks Open Air Cinema | £5
• Rooftop Film Club | from £5.95
• Baggy Point Outdoor Cinema | from £9.35
• The Alfresco Film Company | from £10
• Moonbeamers drive-in Cinema | £38.70 for four
• Rooftop Movie Magic with Unlimited Popcorn | from £55 for two
• Adventure Cinema | £58 for four
• Starry Night Cinema: Rooftop Film with Prosecco | from £60 for two

Best outdoor cinema experiences to try in 2024

Moonbeamers drive-in Cinema | Essex

Who said outdoor cinemas have to be reserved for summertime? The Moonbeamers Cinema in Essex has films showing from September 2024 until March 2025 and, best of all, it’s a drive-in cinema, so you won’t have to worry about getting wet or cold.

Whether you like indie flicks, blockbuster hits, or even a musical (seeing as the RadioTimes.com team likes to rhyme so much…), the Moonbeamers Cinema has you covered. The outdoor cinema works by projecting the film on the 28-foot outdoor screen, and transmitting the audio through your car’s FM radio. Plus, food and drinks are available throughout the film, and will be delivered straight to your car — convenient, right?

Buy Drive In Cinema for Four at Moonbeamers Cinema tickets for £38.70 at Buyagift

For more exciting things to experience in London, be sure to check out the top London walking tours, best London escape rooms, and best London theatre shows.

Adventure Cinema | UK wide

While a lot of these cinema experiences are confined to a particular location, Adventure Cinema has pop-up open-air theatres in 66 places UK-wide, from Chesterfield and Stockport to Charlton and Salisbury. One of the things we like about Buyagift is that all of its vouchers are fully flexible and can be redeemed against a huge range of cinema experiences, and this particular voucher is valid for four people.

With films on offer such as Grease, Pretty Woman, West Side Story and Dirty Dancing, there's sure to be a movie that will appeal to the whole family. Just remember to pack a picnic and suitable outdoor clothes, and you're good to go!

Buy Standard Ticket for Four People to Adventure Cinema Outdoor Cinema for £58 at Buyagift

For great guides like this one as well as the latest ticketing releases, such as Lauryn Hill and Fugees tickets, Cyndi Lauper tickets and Jonathan Bailey Richard II tickets, stay up to date with our Going Out newsletter.

Rooftop Film Club | London

With locations in Peckham and Stratford, the Rooftop Film Club offers an outdoor cinema experience to London locals and those visiting the capital city. At any Rooftop Film Club, you should expect comfy deck chairs to sit on, state-of-the-art wireless earphones to listen to the film with, a range of food and drink options, as well as cult classics, new releases, and family-favourite films to sink your teeth into.

Just a few of our favourite films that we spotted when browsing through the eclectic Rooftop Film Club itinerary are Saltburn, romantic comedy Anyone But You, Call Me By Your Name, and Gladiator — just in time for Gladiator 2 starring Paul Mescal.

Plus, fans of Charli XCX will know that it's well and truly a Brat summer, and you can be sure that the Rooftop Film Club has got this memo, too. The open air cinema has an exciting Charli XCX Brat-themed movie line-up and a brilliant green cocktail to compliment it.

Buy Rooftop Film Club tickets from £5.95 at Rooftop Film Club

Looking to make a Rooftop Film Club experience even more special? Indytute has you covered. The experience gift site is offering a movie of your choice with prosecco for two and a movie of your choice with unlimited popcorn for two. Still at the same magical rooftop location in London, these additional food and drinks options are sure to please your fellow cinema goer.

• Buy Rooftop Movie Magic with Unlimited Popcorn for Couples from £55 at Indytute
• Buy Starry Night Cinema: Rooftop Film for Two with Prosecco from £60 at Indytute

Looking for more unique nights in London? Take a look at the best UK candlelight concerts showing this month.

Baggy Point Outdoor Cinema | Croyde

Residents of Amity Island are enjoying a long hot summer when a killer shark strikes fear into the beach community. It's up to a marine biologist and a seafarer to hunt the shark down, but in this battle of man vs nature, who will come out on top?

Just like the Amity Island locals, enjoy a long hot summer (without the shark attacks) by watching the Steven Spielberg-directed classic Jaws at the Baggy Point National Trust car park in Croyde.

Buy Baggy Point Outdoor Cinema tickets from £9.35 at See Tickets

Do you like watching movies in the comfort of your own home as well as on the big screen? Then be sure to take a look at the best Disney Plus offers and NOW TV offers for this month.

Barbican Outdoor Cinema | London

From Wednesday 21st August to Sunday 1st September, you can enjoy movies on the phenomenal outdoor cinema screen at the Barbican. Situated in East London, the Barbican is an estate and a centre, the Barbican Centre is a multi-cultural arts and exhibition location which offers art, cinema, theatre, and dance.

The Barbican also has a pop-up outdoor cinema which is there for the summer months. You can experience films like Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel, An American in Paris starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Boy and the Heron from Hayao Miyazaki, and many more.

Check out the Barbican Outdoor Cinema at Barbican

As well as cinema, the Barbican also offers fantastic exhibitions. Take a look at the best London art exhibitions and best London immersive museums.

Moonlight Flicks Open Air Cinema | Chester

Storyhouse has brought cinematic experiences to open air venues across Chester for 10 years now, visiting everywhere from the Roman Gardens to Chester Cathedral, and now, Moonlight Flicks Open Air Cinema is settling in Grosvenor Park for the summer.

At this outdoor cinema experience, you'll settle into a comfortable deckchair and listen to your chosen movie with surround sound via headphones. Worried you'll get hungry or thirsty? There's wood-fired pizzas and frozen cocktails on hand to solve that.

Now, what movie will you pick? Moonlight Flicks Open Air Cinema has films on offer such as '90s favourites like Pulp Fiction to cult classics such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show, as well as catchy musicals like everybody's favourite Mamma Mia!, and romantic comedies such as the newly-released Anyone But You.

Buy Moonlight Flicks Open Air Cinema tickets from £5 at Storyhouse

Would you like to dance, jive, and have the time of your life? Head on our to our ABBA Voyage guide to find out how you can secure tickets to the immersive experience.

The Alfresco Film Company | UK wide

Would you like to watch your favourite movie — whether that be Four Weddings and a Funeral Raiders of the Lost Ark, or Barbie — underneath the stars? You've certainly come to the right place. The Alfresco Film Company shows films underneath the stars at beautiful locations in UK towns and regions such as Cheltenham, Wiltshire, Cotswolds, and Cirencester.

With movies showing from this month (July) until September 2024, there's plenty of time to gather your loved ones and experience an outdoor cinematic experience.

Buy The Alfresco Film Company tickets from £10 at Alfresco Film

And, cut!

Whether it's the best steam train experiences, the best Brighton gift experiences, the best Edinburgh ghost tours, or the best F1 experience days, the Going Out team certainly knows how to select an eclectic mix of activities up and down the UK.