SF’s Favorite Outdoor Movie Nights Ends After 20 Years

Thanks to SF Gate for sharing the disappointing news that one of San Francisco’s most beloved summer traditions is hitting pause for now.

Sundown Cinema, the free outdoor movie series that has lit up parks across the city for more than two decades, has been suspended due to major financial struggles at the San Francisco Parks Alliance. The nonprofit recently laid off its remaining event and programming staff and cited rising costs, up to $40,000 per screening, as too steep to sustain.

UPDATE: ONE FREE MOVIE NIGHT FOR 2025!
Although the city-wide Sundown Cinema program is indeed canceled for 2025, there still is one free outdoor movie night taking place! June 7, 2025 it’s Wicked at Yerba Buena Gardens!

For many locals, Sundown Cinema has been more than just a movie night. It’s been a shared experience: watching cult classics in Dolores Park, laying out blankets on the Presidio lawn, sipping something sneaky with friends while the fog rolls in. The screenings have become a marker of summer in the city: community-focused, fun, and unmistakably San Francisco.

Originally launched as Film Night in the Park back in 2003, the series grew into Sundown Cinema after partnering with the SF Parks Alliance in 2019. Events were thoughtfully curated and required nearly a year of planning. Past highlights included a Selena sing-along, a screening of Bullitt in the Presidio, and the nostalgic Lost Landscapes at Duboce Park.

While the current situation is disappointing, there’s reason for optimism. The organization hopes the series can return in the future if funding becomes available again. With enough support and community love, which Sundown Cinema has in abundance, there’s always a chance this iconic series could make a comeback.

For now, San Francisco says goodbye to one of its favorite ways to gather, unwind, and watch the stars – both on screen and in the sky.