Bryant Park Movie Nights Spark Strategy

"Paramount + Summer Movie Nights at Bryant Park" kicked off on Monday, July 13, with a screening of “Wayne’s World.” Spots on the lawn were first come, first served — and highly coveted. Getting those spots required arriving at Bryant Park hours early. 

By 4:30 p.m., a small crowd had already lined up at the perimeter of the lawn. Some attendees made a game plan to get a good view of the movie. That included Ange DiManti and Michael McLarnon. 

“We’re gonna divide and conquer,” DiManti said. “He’s gonna hold all the stuff. I’m just holding the blanket and making a mad dash, even though I’m not that fast.” 

Nearby, a group of teenagers strategized. They agreed that the smallest of them would push through to the front, and the rest would catch up.

DiManti’s attended these movie nights in past summers. She described the energy when the lawn opened at 5 p.m. as “like the Hunger Games.” 

As the evening approached, that energy built. Attendees gripped their picnic blankets tightly, preparing to run. A countdown appeared on the movie screen ten seconds before the lawn opened. Then, the crowd rushed the lawn and laid down their blankets. 

Despite the chaotic appearance, some said the race for a lawn seat wasn’t as stressful as it seemed.

“It was really underwhelming,” said one of the teenagers, Imani Passley. “I thought it was gonna be super crazy.”

DiManti nabbed a spot front and center. She also thought the process was easy, but the preparation was scary. 

“ All the fear is, comes right before the thing, like skydiving.”

"Paramount + Movie Nights at Bryant Park" run every Monday until September 14.