Now in its 12th year, Street Food Cinema has returned to Los Angeles this summer to give the people what they want: movies in parks with dogs, food and an open bar tab. SFC is BYOB (bring your own blanket) but CPTE (come prepared to eat), with dozens of food trucks showing up each week to feed parks full of hungry cinephiles.
Over the course of several months, Street Food Cinema shows a different film each week in a different park. Each screening brings in anywhere from tens to hundreds to over a thousand Angelenos and the food trucks are keeping up. Between pizza, wings, dumplings, tacos, burgers, Vietnamese rice bowls, pasta, just grilled cheese, ice cream, donuts, smoothies and boba tea, the trucks cover the LA food trend basics and vary from park to park. Before the films start, live music plays, providing a platform to small LA-based artists like Billy Lawler and Chulita Vinyl Club.
This year’s lineup includes “Scooby-Doo,” “Holes,” “Casablanca,” “Purple Rain,” “The Karate Kid,” “Aladdin,” “John Wick,” “School of Rock,” “The Princess Bride,” “Bring It On,” “The Parent Trap” and more. Some films are family-friendly while others aren’t, creating different atmospheres in their crowds. This year will also have one live concert experience with Justin Hurwitz, who will conduct his Oscar-winning score to “La La Land” over the film in Los Angeles State Historic Park on September 16.
The Specs
- Up to 5,000 people have attended just one night in previous years, breaking the record for the largest-ever screening of “La La Land” in 2018.
- General admission tickets start at $22 for adults and $10 for children.
- For specialty screenings such as La La Land in Concert, tickets range from $45-$195.
- General admission ranges from $45-$55 and seating is unreserved.
- Reserved seating ranges from $85-$95.
- Platinum or VIP seating ranges from $175-$195.
- Visiting California? Check out Fifty Grande’s guides to the Golden State here.
FAQs
Where’s the nearest airport?
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is the nearest major airport, the venues are accessible primarily by car or public transportation.
Can I park here?
Free street parking is generally accessible but not guaranteed, there are pay-to-enter lots nearby in addition to street parking. Parking passes are also available as a ticket add-on or separate purchase.
It’s a long movie, are there bathrooms?
Yes, there are public restrooms. Private restrooms are also included in VIP ticket purchases.
Are refunds available if—for instance—Barbie doesn’t live up to my expectations and I can’t stand the sight of Ryan Gosling?
Tickets may be refunded or reallocated upon request at least 24 hours in advance of the screening.
Can I bring my dog?
Most screenings are dog friendly, however, not all of them are. If you plan on bringing your dog to Street Food Cinema, be sure to check the rules for the screening you will attend. Dog owners are responsible for their pet’s media intake—Scooby-Doo may cause delusions of grandeur in more ambitious pets.
What food trucks will be available?Current vendors include 5 Elementos, Afters Ice Cream, Aloha Fridays, Angeleno’s Wood Fire Pizza, BBQ Smokehouse, Baby’s Badass Burgers, Belle Pasta, Belly’s Sliders and Wings, Birrieria El Patron, Birreria Michi, Boba Ni Taco, Bunz Gourmet Burger, Cerda Vega Tacos, Coco’s Lip Smacking Cupcakes, Dina’s Dumplings, LA Donut, and many more.
