Screen on the Green

I stand corrected… see that a few businesses rallied together and put it on this year with a much better movie selection than last year… wish I was there :(

Screen on the Green is free, but you get what you pay for. Many people, particularly teenagers, attend Screen on the Green to socialize rather than to watch the movie, and thus, they talk throughout the entire film! Others take advantage of the darkness with their overly conspicuous public displays of affection. Ergo, the police practically harass everyone to «HAVE A SEAT IN THE MEADOW OR LEAVE! NO LOITERING!» Speaking of cops, they too detract from the experience, due to their yelling and sporadically flashing lights. Bring a beach towel to sit or lie down on because, if you bring a lawn chair, the police will likely tell you, in a less than tactful manner, «NO TALL CHAIRS!» Furthermore, bring your own food and drinks.
So if you remember to pack your own food, drinks, and beach towel, at least you’ll be comfortable while being annoyed by the audience’s incessant chatter. If you walk around and somehow find a less noisy area, that’s probably because a bunch of people are smoking, and so you soon realize why there are fewer people sitting there. To recapitulate, I cannot recommend Screen on the Green because of the noise level, distracting lights from text messaging and police cars, a few people smoking, a few more dry humping, and the abundance of «thirsty» dudes trying to pick up women. After the first hour, almost half of the crowd will leave, but the atmosphere doesn’t improve enough to make the experience particularly enjoyable.

My boyfriend, bff, and sister decided to bring the children (3 girls and a boy) out to screen on the green last Thursday at Piedmont Park. There were over 10,000 people there to see Transformers 2. This is an event for all people but a lot of families do participate. When we arrived we noticed a ton of teenagers. it was cool at first. The vendors/​sponsors were giving out free gifts. Chick-​fil-​a gave away their new spicy chicken sandwich was okay, btw. Suntrust gave away bags of «stale» popcorn. It was a great gesture nonetheless. They don’t commence with the movie until it gets completely dark (9pm) and we go there at 8. We talked and played with the kids and at some point got up and danced the cha cha with the rest of the people. It was fun until the movie started and then the teenagers started acting their age. They were walking through the area while people are sitting, so they were blocking our view. The next thing you know it, behind us we here loud screams and come to find out a group of teenagers were fighting for over ten minutes. We decided to leave. I heard on the news the next morning that they were shooting and breaking random folks car windows out by throwing rocks and passing cars. I will not be going back!

I’m on the fence about Screen on the Green. I love the idea of a picnic at dusk with friends, the ability to bring in alcohol to the park as long as it’s not in glass bottles, and the chance to catch a free movie outdoors. Sounds like a recipe for an awesome time, right?
Sure, until you realize who else is here.
That loud girl who laughs her way through Casablanca? Check. Those drunk folks stepping on you when there’s plenty of walking space around? Check. High-​back chairs when supposedly those aren’t allowed in? A million times over CHECK. It makes for a very poor experience when you have a soundtrack added by every obnoxious person there, and apparently a lot of obnoxious people come out.
The movies are rarely great choices, but I could get over that since hey, it’s free and who can complain about free? Yet with movies on display in Atlantic Station and Flicks on 5^th that easily blow the options here out of the water coupled with the aforementioned problem children, I’m less likely to come back.
If you haven’t been or live in the area, it’s an okay time. Don’t try parking — it’s definitely a MARTA affair. Best of all, good luck getting that one girl to shut up; she’s probably too far gone to care.

so im reviewing for screen on the green 2010
so went out to the first screen on the green of 2010 which also happened to be my first screen on the green experience period. the movie they played was national treasure which i think it s pretty good choice.
it was crowded as u would expect a totally free event in the park to be but not to overly crowded. the lighting was good as was the sound quality. we sat pretty far away pretty much rite on the walking path at the top of the hill and had no issues.
some things i would suggest are bringing food and drinks of course. and a nice blanket or chairs if u dont like sitting on the ground. but i hear there is a height limit to stuff u can bring so no cabana tents i guess…
other than the rampit smell of pot floating through the air i would say it was a pretty good experience. not that pot makes it bad but for an all ages thing with kids around i wouldnt say i approve.
so next week is transformers 2 and i think i will be there again. its a nice thing to do on a thur night other than sit at home.

Soo I had to do the all time ATL Thing of watching a movie at the park… mind you. it is no more at Piedmont! Its at Centennial Park in Downtown — so the address is wrong on this…
94 degrees, hottest day of the year, I decide to go see Home Alone… I was blown away by the number of people! It was amazing!
You can bring your own picknic baskets .set up a blacket and watch a great movie…
The best part is that its close to the Marta and if you rather drive, then for $ 7 you can get to park your car in the gazzilion parking lots round the park!
I wish it was in Piedmont though, there are some shady people around in the area — especially when leaving the park, even though there is tonz of cops and all, its still gave me the jeepers!
Fun thing to do and def a must do for anyone in ATL during the Summer time :)

I totally agree with A.H., SOTG is a blast — went last year for Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and had a super good time. Bring a blanket or low-​backed folding chair. And bring a cooler, it’s *hot* in ATL in June.

If you like to people watch and love the outdoors watching free movies at Piedmont Park during Screen on the Green is wonderful. Come early, I can’t stress that enough. Free parking near the park is very limited. Knowing how to parallel park in tight spots is a must! I love packing some food and drinks in a basket and grabbing my folding chair and heading to Screen on the Green. However, Screen on the Green is marginally about the movie, people talk and socialize throughout the entire movie, it’s worst than in theater chatter, so take that into account. Oh and bring some bug spray, the mosquitoes come out at night.

One of my favorite events in Atlanta is almost here! Screen on the Green is definitely a summer must in Atlanta. Where else can you watch classic films on a HUGE screen for free while lying under the stars on a grassy field in the middle of a city?
The 2007 Screen on the Green Schedule:
May 31 — Casablanca
June 7 — Car Wash
June 14 — Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
June 21 — Funny Girl
June 28 — E.T. the Extra-​Terrestrial
You’ll be sure to find me at attendance swooning over Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca saying «Here’s looking at you, kid» and laughing with the crowd when E.T. dresses like a doll in the closet.
The best is when I saw The Sound of Music and the entire crowd sang to every mountain east of the Mississippi. Everyone twist and shouted with Ferris Bueller on his day off.
So bring a few blankets to lie out on and pack a cooler full of drinks and join the rest of Atlanta every Thursday during the month of June at Screen on the Green.