The people of Trail need to get their lawn chairs, blankets and buttered popcorn ready for this year's edition of Movie in the Park.
Since 2008, Kootenay Savings has hosted a Movie in the Park in Trail and Aron Burke, community liaison with the credit union, says it all began when they wanted to start up a community event.
“It was to create a sense of community,” he said. “It was to create a community event that almost as a back-to-school thing for the kids too. It is always geared toward family and we always show a family-friendly movie.”
This year's movie is The Lego Movie, being shown on a three-storey tall screen, and Burke says there is something for everyone.
“We keep it PG, or even G in most cases,” he said. “Although, The Lego Movie has some adult humour snuck in there.”
The Movie in the Park isn't just a fun event for families in the area, it is also a chance for people to support local groups.
“It is totally free for anyone and everyone to come, we just ask that everyone bring an item, or even better, bring a bag of donations of non-perishable food for the food bank,” said Burke. “People are always more than generous. Usually people show up with bags and bags of food. It is for the Salvation Army food bank in Trail.”
In past years, the Salvation Army has received hundreds of pounds of food. One year, the donations amounted to 1,600 lbs.
“We have a pick up truck that we weigh before we have the food loaded in and then when we have the food in, so we have an idea of how much food comes in,” said Burke. “I know the Salvation Army always tells us that it is probably the biggest food drive they have every year.”
Employment Services in Trail also makes a bit of money on movie night – the group runs the concession stand at Haley Park.
The evening event runs rain or shine, and in previous years, has moved inside.
Burke says the City of Trail anticipates Movie in the Park and Kootenay Savings is happy to deliver.
“Since we have done it in 2008, people have kind of expected it to happen on that Friday and they are waiting,” he said. “People love it. After we did the first one, people were always asking us when the next one was going to be. We knew we were on to something.”
The movie will start as soon as the sky is dark enough to see the movie on the screen on Sept. 5 and Burke says that is usually around 7:30 p.m., but not to worry about getting a seat.
“Haley Park is such a big park, people are out there well in advance of the movie starting,” he said. “But, the screen is so huge, that you can see and hear it from anywhere in the park.”
For more information on Movie in the Park, call Aron Burke at 250-368-2683 or visit the Kootenay Savings Credit Union Facebook page.