Palace gears up for another free movie season
ALBANY, N.Y. » Children have a chance to catch some free flicks this summer at the annual Summer in the City movie series.
The series, co-presented by SEFCU and Albany Med, was announced this week to include Coco, Beauty & The Beast, The Lego Batman Movie, Night at the Museum, Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie, James and the Giant Peach, The Lion King and Moana.
Each summer, thousands of children and families from throughout the area attend the free summer movie series, which features eight free, family-friendly movies shown at the Palace Theatre in downtown Albany, with targeted outreach to low-income and underserved families in the city.
The Tuesday movie series, which begins this year on July 10, aims to provide children with the opportunity to enjoy the excitement and beauty of the historic Palace Theatre, while offering fun, safe and positive opportunities to become engaged in the arts.
For this series, the theatre opens at noon, one hour prior to 1 p.m. showtime, to engage the community through educational activities.
Summer in the City is one of several free and low- cost arts and educational programs that the Palace presents for children
and families. In 2017, these programs reach more than 30,000 students each year. Last summer Summer in the City alone served 7,500 children and families. The Palace, SEFCU and Albany Med are aiming to surpass that number this year.
“We would like to thank Albany Med and SEFCU for supporting the Palace and our free community arts initiatives such as ‘Summer in the City.’ It’s so inspiring to see the thousands of children who are exposed to the arts and to this historic venue each year. We are very grateful to our sponsors who share our commitment to this community,” said Palace Performing Arts Center executive director Susan Rosko Fogarty in a press release. “Thanks to their generous
support we are able to offer this and so many other free programs that truly make a difference in kids’ lives.”
James J. Barba, Albany Med President and CEO added that Albany Med is especially pleased to support the Palace’s Summer in the City series “because it offers children a safe weekly break that is full of fun, introduces them to the arts, fuels their creativity, spurs their imagination and, very importantly, encourages them to learn.”
Michael J. Castellana, SEFCU president and CEO, agreed. “Movies are magical,” he said in the release. “They transport us to different places and times and show us things we would never find here in Albany, New York. The wonder of movies, and the arts in general, is the sense that we can do or be anything, with enough hard work and passion. Now, that’s a lesson I want all
children to learn and that’s why SEFCU is once again a proud supporter of the Summer in the City series.”
Free popcorn and beverages are provided to children 12 and younger.
For the Summer in the City finale on Tuesday, Aug. 28, The Palace will host an ice cream social immediately following the showing of Disney’s “Moana.”
Free movie tickets may be picked up in advance or on the day of the show at the Palace Theatre Box Office at 19 Clinton Ave., from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Individual groups, daycare, and summer camps looking to reserve a block of tickets may call in advance for group sales.