Movies by the Tower: A Super Year 5
Movies by the Tower lawn sign
The Evergreen Echo
There are many summer events that draw crowds—maybe from out of town, or even out of state—but sometimes the sweetest summer event is the one from your own community. The neighborhood suddenly has a buzz about it. It feels like something that grew out of nowhere and sprang to life.
The organizers of Movies by the Tower, however, would be happy to let you know it takes a council and a lot of generous volunteers to pull off something that feels spontaneous. It takes months of planning and coordinating to bring this community event to life. Even though there’s only one screening instead of three, Movies by the Tower will still bring the time-honored magic of outdoor movies.
This fifth year of fun opens at 5 p.m. on August 8. Right away there will be a beer garden and food trucks to delight people. It’s a great way to begin relaxing as the temperatures dip and the traffic winds down. The event features several trucks, led of course by sponsor The Watershed Pub & Kitchen. There will also be authentic Venezuelan food provided by Paparepas, which operates a food truck, but has physical locations in Renton and Capitol Hill. You should save room for dessert provided by Sugar + Spoon, which has delicious, safe to eat cookie dough cups. Rounding out the menu is Project 9 Brewing, which will host the beer garden.
As the gates open, the music portion of the evening will also start. While you munch tremendous food, you can groove to some sweet tunes. Featured on stage will be The Low Lonesome Sound, a rock and roll trio. For the more folksy, indie, alternative rock crowd, the Chase Rabideau band will drop by for a set. For those more in the mood for some full folk fun, Dog Mom will also be taking the stage. It is sure to be a toe tapping good show.
It is called Movies by the Tower, though, so amongst the great food, music, and beer, when the sun goes down, the screen will light up. This year's movie is last year's summer blockbuster hit, Superman. The film, while rebooting the DC comics film universe, eschews most traditional origin story templates and shows us an already established hero and a world that has accepted amazing feats by people in colorful costumes as part of their daily lives. The film is a bright and shining example of superhero filmmaking. It is funny, heartwarming, heartbreaking, and simply thrilling. It’s going to be a good time at the park with this movie as a finale.
Having a small town feeling inside of a big city is a comfort. It feels like you can shut out the rest of the noise and just focus on the people around you. It brings us closer to our neighbors and lets us find community. The fact that there's great food, cool bands, and a wonderful movie to bask in does not hurt either. Movies by the Tower is a great summer evening that has no pressure, it is free to get in, and just a great vibe on a summer night.
The venue: Maple Leaf Reservoir Park
The Evergreen Echo
