Screen on the Green 2026 — Balboa Park, San Diego

The California Tower goes dark against the August sky, and below it, a lawn full of strangers settles in for two hours of something they did not plan. The San Diego Museum of Art sets up the screen on the Botanical Garden Lawn, and by sundown the grass is a quilt of blankets and camp chairs and families who carried their dinner in a tote bag because they know the drill. The films change weekly — sometimes a classic, sometimes a crowd-pleaser — but the real draw is the night itself: the silhouette of the California Tower behind the screen, the kids who fall asleep before the second act, the couples who came for the movie and stayed for the quiet walk back through the park after the credits roll. Grab sandwiches from Panama 66's Grab and Go before it closes at sundown. Arrive early for the Lovesac Lounge giveaway if you want the best seat in the house. Free admission. Thursdays in August, screenings begin at sundown (approximately 8 PM). Botanical Garden Lawn, 1549 El Prado, San Diego.