Summer is the best time of year to take the family out to a drive-in. Once again this year, thanks to the efforts of a local church, you can save on gas and experience a drive-in movie right here in Villa Park.

New Hope Community Church is gearing up to present Family Fun Drive-In movie nights this summer. This outreach program of the church is a great way to go to the drive-in. The church, at 230 W. Plymouth Ave., transforms its parking lot into a drive-in theatre.

They put up a huge screen on the north side of the church. You can watch the feature from your car or sit on chairs or blankets. The movies are free to area residents.

“This will be our fourth annual Family Fun Drive-In movie series, and this year will be another great year of fun for the entire family,” said Carol Klamecki, wife of the church pastor, the Rev. Mike. “The Family Fun Drive-In is an attempt to create a real drive-in atmosphere, complete with vintage drive-in intermissions, a concession stand, a huge outdoor screen, in-car sound through your radio and free popcorn. Folks can pull up in their cars or bring a chair and get a seat closer to the screen.”

The movies officially start at 8:15 p.m., but before the film starts, the church offers a kids’ preshow, which is a time just for the kids to have fun. They will enjoy games, snacks, crafts that match the theme of the movie being shown that night and a short life lesson they can relate to. The children’s preshow starts at 7 p.m.

Klamecki said, “We want this to be all about the kids having a memorable time with their parents and with their friends. We hope that one day they will look back on these summer nights at New Hope and think how cool it was to sit out under the night sky, see movies and eat lots of junk food.

“And who knows? Maybe by the time they are able to look back at what a great time they had at New Hope, all the drive-ins will be closed down in the area and all that will be left will be the night sky and good memories.”

The following movies will be shown this summer, and all dates are Fridays: July 11, “Enchanted”; July 25, “Robin Hood”; Aug. 8, “Wizard of Oz” (this is sing along night); and Aug. 22, a double feature of the second and third “Shrek” movies.

For more information, call (630) 687-1413.