Stockton, United Kingdom: Choose Your Own Outdoor Movie

Audience participation is usually limited to clapping at the right moments or pretending not to notice the rustling of sweet wrappers. The organizers of the Stockton Heath Festival, however, have decided to raise the stakes by letting the audience choose the film itself—a democratic experiment conducted under the open sky, with a hog roast close at hand in case opinions become too strongly held.

Festival-goers are invited to vote on which film will be screened at the outdoor cinema on Mill Lane Common, Parkgate Road. The options cover a reassuringly wide emotional range: last year’s blockbuster Stardust, starring Michelle Pfeiffer; the classic Michael Caine caper The Italian Job; the original high school musical Grease, featuring John Travolta; or the unapologetically spectacular Moulin Rouge, starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. The film with the most votes will earn the honor of being projected on the big screen, while everyone else practices gracious acceptance.

Voting takes place online at www.stocktonheathfestival.co.uk, and the winning film will be shown on July 11 at 9:30 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets, chairs, or cushions—anything that improves the experience of sitting still outdoors after dark. A minimum donation of £1 will be collected on the night, with proceeds going toward the Stockton Heath Festival 2009.