A huge turnout is expected this Friday for the last outdoor movie screening at Queen's Park Stadium.
"It'll be fairly big, a lot of it comes down to weather dependency," said Paolo Zenone, the supervisor of the city's Youth Centre.
Zenone said he wouldn't be surprised if attendance numbers were similar to opening night July 11, when around 1,000 people came out to watch Frozen - the largest crowd in three years. "It's been busier now than last year by 100 per cent," he added. "On average, we saw between 400 and 500 people per movie, no less than 300."
This Friday's featured flick is Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Arc. Other films screened this summer included Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Grease and Top Gun.
Zenone said the event not only gave people a chance to mingle with their neighbours, but it allowed city staff to gain some insight into the community. "It opens up the line of communication, so you can always communicate with the community and see what their needs are and what they're kind of looking for," he said. "Even though that's not really what it's there for, there is that opportunity."
As for how the movie list was decided upon, Zenone and his team went to social media.
"We pulled from the internet, asking people what kind of movies they enjoyed by having them pick from a list," he said. "We had a fairly big response."
With the Vancouver Whitecaps possibly launching a USL PRO franchise in New West and using the stadium for home games, Zenone is confident any changes would not affect the movie series. "We're not going to have to move from what I've been told," he said.
This year's hosts include New Westminster Parks and Recreation, G&F Financial and Park Georgie Realty realtor Derick Thornhill. As always, admission is free. Stadium doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8:30 p.m., depending on sunset that evening. Should it rain, you're asked to call 604-527-4634 to check the status of the screening.
