Pull up a piece on grass for free toons, free tunes

Even in an era when screens are literally everywhere — in the back seat with the kids, at the gas station while you’re pumping, in every room of the house and right here in your palm — people still love gathering in big happy clumps to enjoy movies.

Especially outdoors in local parks. In recent years, the city of Vancouver has wised up to the massive popularity of its various free summer concert series, and started programming free family movies in local parks, too. If you’re not up for an eardrum assault on a Friday night, you just might be ready to settle into a screening of something fun with your family.

It all begins July 7 at the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site Parade Grounds with “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” which got generally good reviews when it emerged last year as the first standalone film in the “Star Wars” franchise.

Making double appearances on summer screens are several recent animated favorites, “Sing,” “The Lego Batman Movie” and “Moana.” The latter has been praised as for its beauty and its strong, three-dimensional female heroine. Each of these animated films is appearing at different times in both Vancouver and Camas city parks — so superfans could catch them twice.

Camas will finish off its summer movie season with perhaps the most classic of all family films, “The Wizard of Oz.” It’s interesting to note that all of the recent kid fare listed above is rated PG (or PG-13 in the case of “Rogue One”), while “The Wizard of Oz,” released in 1939 and featuring neither cursing nor gore but some unforgettably nightmarish images — especially those flying monkeys and that mocking green-faced witch — is rated a totally wholesome G. (This reporter’s mother, who first saw the film as a young girl, still shudders with horror at that flying monkey force.)

One hour before each Camas movie begins, there’ll be fun family activities.

Music, too

Then again, you might prefer free tunes to free toons. There again, Vancouver and Camas have you covered. Concerts featuring everyone from local orchestras and “pops” to rock, folk, blues, Cajun and dance-hit tribute bands will keep Esther Short Park lively at noon Wednesdays and 6 p.m. Thursdays, now through Aug. 10.

Meanwhile, folks on the east side of town won’t miss out: Columbia Tech Center will host free live music at 6 p.m. Sundays, now through Aug. 13. And in Camas, it’s summer concerts from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursdays, starting July 20 with the rhythm and blues of Norman Sytlvester and finishing up Aug. 10 with the “Bayou boogie” of Etoufee.

Park play

Also, Camas and Battle Ground will host free drop-in play days and themed activities in different parks. In Battle Ground, it’s 10 a.m. to noon Wednesdays at Kiwanis Park, and 2 to 4 p.m. Wednesdays at Horsethief Park; and 10 a.m. to noon Thursdays at Florence Robison Park and 2 to 4 p.m. Thursdays at Cresap Park.

Camas is hosting Family Fun Fridays in Crown Park, noon to 1 p.m. Fridays in August.

If You Go

Free summer fun (music and movies) in local parks:

MUSIC

Noon Concert Series

Noon Wednesdays in Esther Short Park, West Eighth and Columbia streets

July 12: Lincoln’s Beard

July 19: Castletown

July 26: Tango Alpha Tango

Aug. 2: Three Together

Aug. 9: River Twain

Six to Sunset Concert series

6 p.m. Thursdays in Esther Short Park, West Eighth and Columbia streets

 July 13: Nu Shooz

July 20: Vancouver Symphony Orchestra

July 27: 5 Guys Named Moe

Aug. 3: Coolade

Aug. 10: Patrick Lamb

Sunday Sounds Concert series

6 p.m. Sundays in Columbia Tech Center Park, Southeast Sequoia Circle and Tech Center Drive

July 9: Hit Machine

July 16: Norman Sylvester Band

July 23: Gold Dust

July 30: Flexor T

Aug. 6: Quarterflash

Aug. 13: Curtis Salgado

Camas Summer Concert Series

6:30 p.m. Thursdays in Crown Park, 120 N.E. 17th Ave.

July 20: Norman Sylvester Band

July 27: We Three

Aug. 3 Lisa Mann

Aug. 10: Etoufee (“Bayou Boogie” and rock)

MOVIES

Movies in Vancouver parks

Fridays (pre-movie activities at 7 p.m.; movies start at dusk)

July 7: “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (PG-13), Fort Vancouver National Historic Site Parade Grounds, Evergreen Boulevard and Fort Vancouver Way.

July 14: “The Secret Life of Pets” (PG), LeRoy Haagen Memorial Park, 13002 N.E. Ninth St.

July 21: “Moana” (PG), Marshall Park, 1015 E. McLoughlin Blvd.

July 28: “Kubo and the Two Strings” (PG), Columbia Tech Center Park, Southeast Sequoia Circle and Tech Center Drive.

Aug. 4: “Sing” (PG), Evergreen Park, 3500 E. Fourth Plain Blvd.

Aug. 11: “Lego Batman Movie” (PG), Fruit Valley Park, 3200 Fruit Valley Road.

Movies in Crown Park

120 N.E. 17th Ave., Camas

Fridays (pre-movie activities one hour before screening)

Aug. 4: “Sing” (PG) at 8:45 p.m.

Aug. 11: “Lego Batman Movie” (PG) at 8:30 p.m.

Aug. 18: “The Wizard of Oz” (G) at 8:30 p.m.

Aug. 25: “Moana” (PG) at 8:15 p.m.

PLAYGROUND FUN

Camas Family Fun Fridays

Noon to 1 p.m. in Crown Park, 120 N.E. 17th Ave.

Aug. 4: Water Carnival

Aug. 11: Circus Skills

Aug. 18: Mud Day

Aug. 25: The Oregon Reptile Man

Battle Ground Summer Playgrounds

10 a.m. to noon Wednesdays: Kiwanis Park, 422 S.W. Second Ave.

10 a.m. to noon Thursdays: Florence Robison Park, 1900 N.W. Ninth St.

2 to 4 p.m. Wednesdays: Horsethief Park, Southwest 12th Avenue and 11th Street.

2 to 4 p.m. Thursdays: Cresap Park, 1911 S.E. Second Place.