Botanical Gardens hosts a new take on the outdoor movie
You won’t find Elsa, Shrek or Gru on the big screen at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens this summer.
Instead of inviting kids and their friends to watch Disney and Pixar classics, the Gardens are encouraging young adults and couples to enjoy a night out with friends or a romantic date night at Flicks Among the Flowers this year.
“We wanted to attract younger people to the gardens and to look at the gardens in a new way,” said Andrew Krebbs, director of marketing and membership for the Gardens. “We’re more than just some plants; we’re an experience.”
Flicks among the Flowers will begin on May 13 and will show a movie one Wednesday a month through July. On the lineup are Jurassic Park, Ghostbusters and Top Gun.
The free event will feature a cash bar with movie-themed cocktails. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets or outdoor chairs to sit on. Pets are not allowed. Gates will open at 6 p.m., and the movie will begin at 8 p.m.
Last year was the inaugural year for Flicks Among the Flowers. It attracted 300 people, but the Gardens assures that there is plenty of room for more this year.
Flicks replaced the Gardens’ annual Cocktails on the Gardens events.
“[Cocktails on the Gardens] got to be where it was a really expensive event to put on and everyone in town had one, so there really wasn’t that unique appeal anymore,” said Krebbs. “So we discontinued Cocktails on the Gardens, and this was our way of creating a new event with a new angle.”
The Birmingham Botanical Gardens hope that the event will showcase the gardens to a new audience that isn’t as familiar with them.
“An event like this is really just a way to get people who don’t normally experience the Gardens a reason to come here and to see what a beautiful asset it is to the city,” said Krebbs.
Flicks among the Flowers Lineup
All movies begin at 8 p.m. at Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Gates open at 6 p.m.
May 13: Jurassic Park
In this Steven Spielberg classic, scientists (Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum) travel to an island theme park filled with genetically engineered dinosaurs that they assume are safe, but soon find out otherwise when the creatures escape.
June 24: Ghostbusters
A group of recently unemployed scientists (Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray) decide to become ghost busters to earn a little extra money. But when they open New York City to another dimension full of evil, they must find a way to save the city.
July 15: Top Gun
Fighter pilot Maverick (Tom Cruise) attends the elite Top Gun Naval Fighter Weapons School, where he gets into trouble because of his arrogant attitude. While he competes to be top pilot, he finds himself also competing for the affections of his teacher, Charlotte Blackwood (Kelly McGillis).