Rain brings early end to movie night event

Rain proved to be an uninvited and rude guest at Perry Township’s recent “Movie Night Under the Stars.”

In fact, heavy rain on July 16 prompted township trustees to cancel the event before the featured movie, “The Secret Life of Pets,” could begin at 8:30 p.m.

It marked the second straight year that the township invited the community to view a free movie at Perry Township Park. Similar to last year’s event, “Movie Night Under the Stars” also featured activities for children.

“We started at 6:30, so luckily, kids got to use the inflatable slides, and enjoy candy and all that stuff,” Trustee Nancy Steele said.

Although the event was advertised as having no rain date, Steele said some people still were asking if the township planned to reschedule the movie.

“I just think it’s too late in the year,” Steele said, noting that the 2019-20 school year will be starting soon.

For the past two years, the township had paid for “Movie Night Under the Stars” with a $1,500 Community Events Sponsorship Grant from the Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council. Steele noted that the grant is good for a year. Township Trustee Board Chairman Rick Amos said whatever money is left over from the grant, after expenses, could be applied to a community event in 2020.

“And maybe next year, schedule it just a tad earlier, when it’s not likely to be so hot and muggy,” Amos said during the July 23 trustees meeting. “But you never know.”

Last year, the township’s first-ever “Movie Night Under the Stars” took place on July 17 and featured the movie “Moana.” The weather was favorable and based on the amount of positive feedback from residents, as well as the quality of the movie’s sound and picture, trustees declared the event a success. Trustees began planning the 2019 edition of “Movie Night Under the Stars” after receiving a Community Events Sponsorship Grant from NOPEC for the second straight year. Calling off the event because of rain raised a couple questions dealing with finances. First, the township had to pay a $225 licensing fee to show the movie. Township Fiscal Officer Chris Page said that money will remain intact for the time being. “Because we did not even open the case (holding the movie), that money is good for another showing of this movie, or we should be able to apply it to another movies, should we select it within a year,” Page said. The township also was set to pay $643 to Fun Flicks, the company that would have set up the inflatable screen and provided the projector and related equipment to show the movie. Steele said the company did come to the park and was ready to inflate the screen for the movie, before township leaders scrapped those plans because of ominous weather. Township leaders said at the July 23 meeting that they were still awaiting word from Fun Flicks on how much would be owed for the company’s time and efforts on July 16.

Perry Township Park still will be hosting other free entertainment for the next four weeks. The township’s summer concert series, which began July 10, features live music every Wednesday night from 7 to 9 p.m.

The remaining performances in the series are July 31: Incahootz (light rock/mix), Aug. 7: Andy’s Last Band (passion-driven classic rock), Aug. 14: Castaways (1950s, ‘60s, rock and Motown) and Aug. 21: Swamp Rattlers (blues, rock and Americana)