Flix And Float Movies All About Family Time
By: Betsy Reason
Want TO GO?’Want TO GO?
What: Flix and Float movie series featuring “Bedtime Stories,” Rated PG, the second of nine movies on a giant LED video board.
When: 7:15 p.m. Wednesday.
Where: Forest Park Aquatic Center, 1077 Cicero Road, Noblesville.
How much: $5. Wristbands for the movie are purchased after the pool closes.
Good to know: Free admission to movie with pool membership.
Other upcoming movies: “Hook,” Rated PG, 8:15 p.m. June 30; “Top Gun: Maverick,” Rated PG-13, 7:15 p.m. July 3; “Field of Dreams,” Rated PG, 8:15 p.m. July 14; “Madagascar,” Rated PG, 8:15 p.m. Aug. 5; “Cars,” Rated G, 8:15 p.m. Aug. 12; “Remember the Titans,” Rated PG, 8:15 p.m. Aug. 19; “Back to the Future,” Rated PG, 7:15 p.m. Sept. 4.
What else: At least two sponsorship opportunities are still available for the summer pool season.
Info: https://forestparkpool.myrec.com/
Photo provided by Greg Conner, Forest Park Aquatic Center
The first movie of the Forest Park Aquatic Center’s Flix and Float movie series, which featured “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” was well attended.
What could be better than being at the swimming pool watching your favorite movie with your family, on the largest video board at an aquatics facility in the Midwest?
Noblesville’s Greg Conner shows a photo of his daughter, Nora, at age 4, in her bathing suit and arm floaties, watching Disney’s “Finding Nemo” in 2022 during the Flix and Float movie series at Forest Park Aquatic Center in Noblesville.
“I absolutely love that picture … It’s the essence of why I love Forest Park Aquatic Center so much,” said Conner. “And I think the photo exemplifies why every family should come out.” He’s a volunteer and president of The Friends of Central Pool, an organization that operates the Aquatic Center.
The simple concept for the Flix and Float: The pool stays open later for guests to watch movies poolside on an LED video board that’s visible in the daylight. The video board was installed for the 2022 season and allows movies to begin much earlier than in the past.
“We’re excited to build upon the success of last summer’s Flix and Float series, which has been made possible by our video board,” Conner said.
The video board was 100 percent funded through private donations “and a testament to what a great community we have.” There are a couple of sponsorship opportunities still available this summer, he said.
Plus, pool goers this summer can enjoy about 75 new chaise lounges plus 85 new Adirondack chairs. Some of these chaise lounges are heavy-duty chairs dedicated for adults only, which was a request.
Admission to Flix and Float events is free to members or $5 for nonmembers.
This year’s movie series increased to nine offerings. The first movie of the series, “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” Rated PG, was shown on the first Flix and Float night on June 7.
The movie, Conner said, “was one of our best attended movies, and despite a few technical difficulties which have all been worked out, we are confident it will be a great lead into a fantastic 2023 movie lineup.”
Full-time pool manager Kim Bowling agreed. “I would say it was probably one of our busiest (movie nights).”
The next Flix and Float movie event is 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, featuring “Bedtime Stories,” Rated PG.
Other upcoming movies include: “Hook,” Rated PG, 8:15 p.m. June 30; “Top Gun: Maverick,” Rated PG-13, 7:15 p.m. July 3; “Field of Dreams,” Rated PG, 8:15 p.m. July 14; “Madagascar,” Rated PG, 8:15 p.m. Aug. 5; “Cars,” Rated G, 8:15 p.m. Aug. 12; “Remember the Titans,” Rated PG, 8:15 p.m. Aug. 19; “Back to the Future,” Rated PG, 7:15 p.m. Sept. 4.
“This summer’s movie lineup was heavily influenced by community input over the winter,” Conner said. “We are hopeful there are more offerings for the entire family this summer, as we’ve really tried to listen to what our community wants to see. There is nothing more enjoyable than a summer evening at the Forest Park Aquatic Center enjoying a great movie in the pool with the entire family.”
He asked: “Where else can you go down a slide, jump off a diving board or float on a raft while watching a great movie?”
Showing a movie in public isn’t as easy as playing a movie in your DVD player at home. Movie studios require significant licensing and copyright fees. Conner said our community is fortunate to have great corporate partners here in Noblesville that have stepped up and helped offset these expenses through sponsorship.
While Flix and Float is weather dependent, “we hope to never cancel. But we’re an outdoor facility and weather does become a factor every now and again.” Last summer, one movie was canceled for the final weekend of the season. That movie, “Top Gun,” was rescheduled this summer. “In actuality, this may have worked out OK as we are also showing ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ this summer. Conner said, “So, what an incredible opportunity to see two great movies in the same series this summer.”
-Betsy Reason writes about people, places and things in Hamilton County. Contact The Times Editor Betsy Reason at betsy@thetimes24-7.com.