Four free outdoor movies hit San Mateo parks every Friday in September, starting with Zootopia 2 at Central Park on Sept. 4.
The annual Movies in the Park series returns with games, crafts and family-friendly films under the stars. Mobile Rec activities begin at 6 p.m. each Friday, with movies starting at dusk, between 7:30 and 7:45 p.m., according to the city's event page.
Attendees should bring their own blankets and chairs.
The lineup
Sept. 4: Zootopia 2 (2025) at Central Park (Fitzgerald Field), 50 E. 5th Ave.
Sept. 11: How to Train Your Dragon (2025) at Shoreview Park (Shoreview Field), 950 Ocean View Ave.
Sept. 18: Lilo & Stitch (2025) at Laurie Meadows Park, 111 Laurie Meadows Drive
Sept. 25: Wicked: For Good (2025) at Beresford Park, 2720 Alameda de las Pulgas
All four films are 2025 releases, giving families a chance to catch recent hits on a big outdoor screen at no cost. Each screening takes place at a different park, spreading the series across San Mateo neighborhoods.
What to know before you go
The city has not yet posted concession details but says more information is coming. Check the city's Movies in the Park page for updates.
Movies in the Park is a long-standing San Mateo tradition. The Downtown San Mateo Association listed the series among the city's 2025 community events in its January 2026 newsletter, and the city's General Plan describes it alongside Eggstravaganza, Winter Wonderland and the Central Park Music Series as family-friendly programming.
The first screening at Central Park's Fitzgerald Field is Friday, Sept. 4.
Upcoming community events
- Friday, Sept. 4: Movies in the Park: Zootopia 2, Central Park, 6 p.m. activities / dusk screening
- Friday, Sept. 11: Movies in the Park: How to Train Your Dragon, Shoreview Park
- Friday, Sept. 18: Movies in the Park: Lilo & Stitch, Laurie Meadows Park
- Friday, Sept. 25: Movies in the Park: Wicked: For Good, Beresford Park
