Movies in the Park Start June 15 with ‘Dolphin Tale’

Upper Macungie kicks off its “Movies in the Park” series with ‘Dolphin Tale’ on June 15 at Lone Park.

The free event will feature live music sponsored by in Upper Macungie, food sales to benefit Station #56 fire company and the opportunity for audience members to ask questions of a keeper from the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. The movie is based on a dolphin named Winter, who lives at that aquarium in Florida.  Pre-movie activities start at 7 p.m. The movie is shown at dusk.

The movie company showing “Dolphin Tale” on a huge screen connects the audience to the dolphin keeper in Florida by video conferencing. The keeper will take questions about the kind of  dolphin rehabilitation that was done in the movie 'Dolphin Tale' stars Morgan Freeman, Harry Connick Jr. and Ashley Judd and is rated PG. 

The Recreation board has already raised about $4,000 from companies sponsoring Movies in the Park. The businesses will have their names or a commercial advertised on a loop on screen before the movie runs. “Not only are we breaking even but we’re making money on that,” said Rich Kiser, chairman of the Recreation board.

Sponsorships are tax deductible because the money goes to the non-profit Friends of Upper Macungie Township Parks and Recreation, said Jim Soltis, township parks foreman.   

The other Movies in the Park dates are:

-- July 13 at Grange Park, showing “Super 8” with a rain date of July 14.

-- Aug. 10 at Breinigsville Park, showing “Puss In Boots” with a rain date of Aug. 11.

Township Supervisor Kathy Rader said the first time the township ran a “Movies in the Park” event, only about 75 people came. But last year one movie night drew 400 people, she said.