What it was like
Twenty years since Lightning McQueen first rolled into Radiator Springs, and somehow the ache of that little Route 66 town still lands — the idea that the best things in life are the ones you find when you’re lost on the way to somewhere else. Street Food Cinema is screening Cars for its 20th anniversary on the lawn of the Autry Museum, and in partnership with D23, the evening turns into something richer than a regular outdoor movie night.
Doors open at 6pm with a live band, a curated spread of LA’s best food trucks, and that particular Griffith Park golden hour that makes everything feel like it was designed by a production designer who actually cares. The movie rolls at 8:15pm on a massive outdoor screen. Bring a blanket, bring a date, bring the kid who memorized every car’s name and still does the voice.
This is the kind of night LA does better than anywhere: outdoor cinema, good food, good light, good company. General admission $23. The Autry Museum, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park. Dog-friendly. Bar on site. Free parking.