Follow the yellow brick road this Friday, June 27, to Fischer Farm, 16W680 Old Grand Ave., where the Bensenville Park District will click their heels together at 8:15 p.m. to begin their Movies in the Park series with “Wizard of Oz.”

“Even if you’ve already seen the movie, you haven’t seen it on a big screen in years, and this is something to do outside,” said Tania Rodriguez, BPD’s special events coordinator. “How often do you watch a movie outside on an oversized screen? It’s pretty awesome! This is just a great event for the entire family to spend the evening together, outside in Bensenville, watching a movie. How cool is that?”

Attendance is free. Rodriguez estimates the screen to be the size of a two-car garage, and the BPD’s public address system will provide the sound. Along with lawn chairs and blankets, moviegoers are encouraged to bring bug spray and a picnic. Snacks will be available for purchase from the BPD.

“It’s a social gathering with a movie,” Rodriguez said. “Kids are running around, playing on the playground, people are hanging out, snacking, watching the movie. It’s obviously cheaper than the theater, plus, with gas prices so high, you don’t want to go far. This is something fun and inexpensive for the whole family to do on a Friday night right here in Bensenville.”

Upcoming Movies in the Park include: “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure” at 8:15 p.m. July 18 at Sunset Park, Grove and Judson streets; “Transformers” at 8 p.m. Aug. 1 at the Water Park, 1000 W. Wood St.; “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” at 8:15 p.m. Aug. 15 at Varble Park, 1000 W. Wood St.; and “High School Musical 2” at 6 p.m. Sept. 19 on the Pine Room lawn, 531 S. Church Road.

“We try to show a range of movies that the entire family will enjoy,” Rodriguez said. “‘Wizard of Oz’ is a classic, while ‘Pee-Wee’ is kid-friendly but funny to adults, and ‘Ferris Bueller’ is more geared towards adults, but kids will like it too.”

Last year was Bensenville’s first Movies in the Park series. The BPD previously ran Music in the Park, and since the village took over, the BPD was looking for something new. Rodriguez made the suggestion after seeing surrounding communities — especially Chicago’s outdoor film event held in Grant Park — have huge turnouts.

“I thought it was such a great idea, and if these communities were having success with it, then why not us?” Rodriguez said. “We did about five last year, including the Dive-In at the water park and the Drive-In at White Pines Golf Course.”

With movies like “Sponge Bob Squarepants,” and “Charlotte’s Web,” attendance averaged about 100 people.

“We were super-excited at the attendance,” Rodriguez said. “Since this was something new and with Music in the Park being so popular, we weren’t sure if this would take off, but it did right away, and we’re thrilled. We were excited last year to start, and we’re really, really excited this year to see how much more it takes off.”

The Movies in the Park series is sponsored by the Bensenville Arts Council. Only July’s Dive-in at the Water Park is sponsored by the BPD, and September’s “High School Musical 2” is sponsored by the Bensenville Credit Union.

“Movies in the Park is also a great way to introduce residents to our parks,” Rodriguez said. “Especially ones like Pines Park and Sunset Park — people drive by them all the time and don’t stop, so this is a way to get them to stop. In the future, we plan to show movies in all our parks so people realize all the great green space we have here Bensenville.”

For more information on Movies in the Park, call (630) 766-7015 or visit www.BensenvilleParkDistrict.org.

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