ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The Asheville Parks & Recreation monthly summer event series Movies in the Park will conclude this weekend with a showing of “Toy Story.”
Movies in the Park films are projected onto the large screen on the green in front of the Buncombe County Courthouse. “Toy Story” will begin at dusk, or roughly 8:25 p.m., on Friday, August 9 at Court Plaza in downtown Asheville.
“Toy Story” was released in 1995 and has endured as a family classic for nearly 30 years. It follows on the heels of 2023 box office smashes “Wonka” and “Barbie” and sci-fi Marvel romp “Guardians of the Galaxy” as the last summer movie of the year.
Each film in the summer series has accompanied a prize giveaway for the first several hundred kids to arrive. For “Wonka,” it was small bottles of bubbles. For “Barbie,” the city handed out pink and black sunglasses. At “Guardians of the Galaxy,” kids could grab free Recycling Raccoon coloring books, a nod to the character Rocket Raccoon from the film.
At “Toy Story,” the first 150 kids to arrive will receive a toy of their own: a water-activated color-changing rubber duck. It is a fitting prize for a film screened over the site of Splasheville, the popular downtown water attraction.
The event itself is free of charge, but attendees are invited to bring money for snacks from local vendors like Kona Ice of Asheville and Kernel Mike’s World Famous Kettle Corn.
While pets, smoking and alcohol are prohibited at Movies in the Park, the city encourages residents to dress up as their favorite characters, bring blankets and chairs and invite friends to come along.
More information about Movies in the Park and future Asheville Parks & Recreation events can be found on their website, www.ashevillenc.gov/department/parks-recreation.