Kennewick, Washington: Outdoor Movies on the River in Kennewick

Movies on The River Events Kick off Saturday

Starting this weekend families can hang out and watch movies outdoors throughout the summer in Columbia Park in Kennewick. The annual Movies on the River, sponsored by U.S. Cellular, kicks off June 20 with Kung Fu Panda. "This event is all about fun," said Bruce Kehe with U.S. Cellular who sponsors the movie nights. "This is our fifth year. Historically, we've had 1,300 to 1,600 people attend the screenings." At each movie night there will be events happening before the film begins, Kehe said. There will be some fun activities for kids a few hours before the show starts, such as a bounce castle and inflatable slide, at the June 20 screening. Admission is Free Here's the movie schedule, followed by the preshow activities:

• June 20th: Kung Fu Panda -- Activities for kids before the movie.

• June 27th: Madagascar 2 -- Before the movie starts, representatives from the Kennewick police and fire departments will bring fire trucks and police cruisers for parents and children to view.

• July 11th: Hotel for Dogs -- Mascots from local sports teams will be on hand for photos.

• July 18th: Marley & Me -- Texting into the future features a speed text challenge to determine who can send the fastest text message in Kennewick.

• August 1st: Tale of Despereaux -- Various family friendly races, such as three-legged and potato sack races, will be held before the movie starts.

• August 8th: The Longshots -- Live musical entertainment will be featured before showtime.

Movies will be shown on a giant blowup movie screen starting at dusk each Saturday. The inflatable screen is set up at the east end of Columbia Park near the Playground of Dreams. By Dori O'Neal, Herald staff writer Source: http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/northwest/story/784092.html