We just got our official permissions for our Summer Saturday Movie Nights!!! This year’s Summer Reading Program theme is “Tales and Tails”–so animals (real and imaginary) figure into a lot of the summer’s planning.
Movies will be shown in the library’s backyard, tickets will required (you can get them in advance at the library with your Harris Memorial Library card) and we suggest you bring a blanket to spread out, or lawn chairs, and probably some anti-mosquito stuff, too.
July 24th: Party Like a Princess, starting at 8pm
We are kicking things off with a “Princess” theme on July 24th. Before the first movie starts, we will have an activity or two that relate to the theme like decorating unicorn masks, paper crowns, and playing “Pin the Kiss on the Frog.” There will be snacks. If our Summer Saturday Movie Nights are beginning to sound a little bit like parties…that’s because they are. Last year was hard on everyone (we lost 3 patrons during the pandemic–and we’re a small library!) and because everyone’s doing their best to keep each other safe, healthy, and happy we want to celebrate the good things with our library patrons.
BUT. Seating is limited (yes, even outside) due to our movie contract, and activity supplies are limited, too, so please get your tickets from the library ASAP.
The 1st movie will be The Princess and the Frog (Disney, 2009, rated G), a fresh interpretation of the classic fairy tale. Watch the trailer here. “In this wondrous animated adventure, a prince is transformed into a frog and accidentally curses a beautiful princess with an amphibian form as well when he kisses her in an attempt to break the spell. The two then go on a wild journey through the bayous of Louisiana in hopes of finding a voodoo priestess who may be able to restore their true forms.”
The 2nd movie will be The Princess Bride (Twentieth Century Fox, 1987, rated PG), based on the novel by the same name. Watch the trailer here. “In this delightfully fractured tale, a grandfather reads a story about a beautiful young woman named Buttercup to his bored grandson. Then, the audience is magically transported into the tale, complete with villains, creepy creatures, and a love story.” This is a witty, snarky classic full of sword fights, friendships, and adventure. There are some darker themes (including death, loss, and revenge), so the PG rating is accurate.
If you don’t feel your young one(s) will do well with it, feel free to come for the activities, snacks, and the first movie, and then head home. We want you all to be comfy and happy!
July 31st: Embrace Strange Stories, starting at 8pm
We’ll be playing lawn games and will start the evening with Babe (Universal Pictures, 1995, G). Think of it as a differently-styled Charlotte’s Web. Watch the trailer here. “After being separated from his family, a young pig learns to herd sheep in an effort to save his own life.” This is a heartwarming story of how life can surprise you.
Over the Hedge (Universal Pictures, 2006, PG), “Delightful animated comedy about a crafty racoon who tricks his fellow forest creatures into helping him replace the food he stole from a mean bear.” Watch the trailer here.
August 7: Enjoy Some Silliness, starts at 8pm (Cancelled due to lack of ticket pick-up)
We’ll kick the night off with some activities including making construction paper Chinese lanterns, learning to use chopsticks, playing “Pin the Cookie on Po,” and maybe “Master Shifu Says.”
The 1st movie will be Kung Fu Panda (Universal Pictures, 2008, PG), “Jack Black voices Po, a portly panda who dreams of escaping the family noodle shop for a life of protecting the downtrodden with his paws of fury. Po’s chance comes when Master Oogway declares him the Dragon Warrior, destined to defeat the evil Tai Lung. Now he just has to learn to fight before Tai Lung arrives.” Watch the trailer here.
Ice Age (Twentieth Century Fox, 2002, PG) will be our 2nd movie of the night. “Prehistoric animals find a baby and attempt to reunite him with his tribe. Best Animated Feature nominee.”
August 14: Go Seaside during Shark Week!, starting 8pm
It’s Shark Week and we’re doing some fun and fishy activities before the night’s movies start! Our 1st movie will be Finding Nemo (Disney Pixar, 2003, G), “A clown fish searches for his missing son in this animated adventure, the winner of an Oscar for Best Animated Feature.” Watch the trailer here.
Our 2nd movie will be Moana (Walt Disney Pictures, 2016, PG), “From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes “Moana,” a sweeping CG-animated feature about an adventurous teenager who is inspired to leave the safety and security of her island on a daring journey to save her people.” Watch the trailer here.
August 21st: Dragon and Dinosaur Blast!, starting at 8pm
We started the summer partying like princesses, so we felt it was only right to wrap things up with some dragon tails…erm…tales. We’re going to do some great dinosaur- and dragon-related activities before the 1st movie starts, so make sure you’re on time and ready for fun!
Our 1st movie will be the recent release Raya and the Last Dragon (Walt Disney Pictures, 2021, PG), “A warrior named Raya is eager to discover the last dragon living in a realm called Lumandra.” Watch the trailer here.
Our 2nd movie will be How to Train Your Dragon (Universal Pictures, 2010, PG), “The son of a viking chief must capture a dragon in order to mark his passage into manhood and prove his worthiness to the tribe.” Watch the trailer here. Based on the popular series of novels.
If we get good turnout for these events, we’ll strongly consider doing similar things next summer, too.
Located in the village of Otego, New York, the Harris Memorial Library has a rich history in large part thanks to the lovely and adventurous Daisy or “Dasa” Harris who willed her Victorian-Italianate-style home to the village of Otego in the early 1970’s so long as it became, and remained, a library. Her house became known as the Harris Memorial House, and when it was realized that the small rooms were not conducive to a library’s organization, and that the weight of so many books and their shelves might collapse the historic structure, a modern addition was added to the back of the building to house the library.
