Newport's "Movies on the Rock" Kicks Off with Jurassic Park

Movies on the Rocks, a summer movie series in the quarry meadow at Ballard Park, is back for a 10th year this August.

The screenings, held on Wednesdays, are free and open to the public.

Kicking off the series will be ”Jurassic Park,” which was the first film Friends of Ballard Park ever showed on Aug. 12, 2006, drawing a crowd of just 20 people.

“The organization has received many requests to screen it again,” a Friends of Ballard Park press release stated. “Audiences have grown over the years to two to three hundred people per movie with the most popular screening being The Lion King in 2012 with 428 people in attendance.”

Friends of Ballard park collects surveys at the events, which helps them figure out what movies should be screened in the future.

This year, after Jurassic Park, movie-lovers will be treated to three more classics: Mr. Doubtfire, Star Trek Generations and The Breakfast Club.

Before each movie, visitors are treated to a short film by the Flickers Rhode Island International Film Festival. They host the only Oscar qualifying festival for shorts in New England. They’re planning to premiere 73 films at its August festival.

The quarry meadow opens at 6:30 p.m. for blankets and picnics. Movies begin at dusk, usually around 8 p.m. or so.

Smoking is prohibited.

“Movies on the Rocks” is co-sponsored by the Rhode Island State Senate, Rhode Island House of Representatives and Ken & Tia Scigulinsky with support from BR Arnold Construction, Kiki Finn and the Law Offices of Joseph J. Nicholson. The quarry meadow is most easily accessed through the Hazard Road entrance.

Ballard Park is a nature preserve located directly across from Rogers High School on Wickham Road in Newport. Those interested in attending should wear sturdy shoes as there is rugged terrain. Parking is available along Hazard Road and in the Rogers High School parking lot. Allow about fifteen minutes to park and make your way into the quarry meadow as the site for the movies is a considerable distance from the road. Trails are steep and uneven in places especially when accessing the park from Wickham Road.

Friends of Ballard Park is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting, maintaining and promoting Newport’s Only Nature Preserve. Cultural events and educational programming help to advance stewardship of the park and decrease negative park activities.

Visit www.ballardpark.org or call 619.3377 for more information.

Photo: Jennifer Carter

Here’s the complete schedule:

Wednesday, August 5, 2015 - Jurassic Park
In Steven Spielberg’s massive blockbuster paleontologists Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) and mathematician Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) are among a select group chosen to tour an island theme park populated by dinosaurs created from prehistoric DNA. While the park’s mastermind, billionaire John Hammond (Richard Attenborough), assures everyone that the facility is safe, they find out otherwise when various ferocious predators break free and go on the hunt. 1993; 127 minutes; Rated PG-13. Seating is on the grass- bring a blanket or lawn chair and arrive 15 minutes prior to the screening to ensure a place to park and time to make your way down to the quarry meadow. Use Hazard Road entrance. Rain date is Thursday, August 6th. FREE

Wednesday, August 12, 2015 - Mrs. Doubtfire
Troubled that he has little access to his children, divorced Daniel Hillard (Robin Williams) hatches an elaborate plan. With help from his creative brother Frank (Harvey Fierstein), he dress… Morees as an older British woman and convinces his ex-wife, Miranda (Sally Field), to hire him as a nanny. “Mrs. Doubtfire” wins over the children and helps Daniel become a better parent -- but when both Daniel and his nanny persona must meet different parties at the same restaurant, his secrets may be exposed. 125 minutes; Rated PG-13. Seating is on the grass- bring a blanket or lawn chair and arrive 15 minutes prior to the screening to ensure a place to park and time to make your way down to the quarry meadow. Use Hazard Road entrance. Rain date is Thursday, August 13th. FREE

Wednesday, August 19, 2015 - Star Trek Generations
In the 23rd century, the Starship Enterprise is dispatched to the scene of a giant energy field about to engulf two ships. Capt. Kirk (William Shatner) averts calamity, but is exposed to the… More field and presumed dead. Years later, the Enterprise’s new commander, Capt. Picard (Patrick Stewart), learns that one of the disaster’s survivors, Dr. Soran (Malcolm McDowell), plans to enter the field by destroying a neighboring star. Picard now must collaborate with an unlikely ally in order to stop him. 118 minutes; Rated PG. Seating is on the grass- bring a blanket or lawn chair and arrive 15 minutes prior to the screening to ensure a place to park and time to make your way down to the quarry meadow. Use Hazard Road entrance. Rain date is Thursday, August 20th. FREE

Wednesday, August 26, 2015 - The Breakfast Club
Five high school students from different walks of life endure a Saturday detention under a power-hungry principal (Paul Gleason). The disparate group includes rebel John (Judd Nelson), princess Claire (Molly Ringwald), outcast Allison (Ally Sheedy), brainy Brian (Anthony Michael Hall) and Andrew (Emilio Estevez), the jock. Each has a chance to tell his or her story, making the others see them a little differently -- and when the day ends, they question whether school will ever be the same. 1985; 97 minutes; Rated R. Seating is on the grass- bring a blanket or lawn chair and arrive 15 minutes prior to the screening to ensure a place to park and time to make your way down to the quarry meadow. Use Hazard Road entrance. Rain date is Thursday, August 27th. FREE.