Enjoy a spooky double bill at Grizedale Forest’s new pop-up cinema

Film fans can snuggle up for an evening in the trees in Grizedale Forest this September to watch two open-air screenings of classic movies. In partnership with the Forestry Commission, Eden Art’s Picnic Cinema will transform a corner of the woodlands into a magical open-air cinema.

There are two films to choose from - Steven Spielberg’s iconic Close Encounters of the Third Kind and the cult horror movie The Blair Witch Project. A trail will lead audiences through the trees to a secret location where the films will be screened.

Live music will set the scene for each film and visitors are invited to bring picnics along to enjoy as the drama unfolds. Cinema goers are even encouraged to get into the spirit of the films by dressing up in costume.

Antony Mottershead, Forestry Commission Arts Development Assistant at Grizedale says: “For two spectacular nights visitors will be able to enjoy great films and fantastic music in the atmospheric setting of Grizedale Forest.

“The forest will provide a dramatic backdrop to the action on the screen and movie goers will be able to immerse themselves in the sights and sounds of the forest at night. It promises to be a truly memorable cinematic experience.”

The family-friendly Close Encounters of the Third Kind (PG) will be shown on Saturday 8 September. This science fiction epic is still regarded as a classic in its genre three decades after it was first released. Award-winning local musician Jude Connelly will warm up audiences with a live set with help from two Cumbrian musical legends – bassist Alex Green and Theo Clapp.

On Saturday 22 September, folk musician Katas Young will get the fear factor rising with a haunting performance before the screening of the horror film The Blair Witch Project (15). The dark woods will provide the perfect setting for the tale of three students who travel to Maryland to create a student film about the Blair Witch legend, but never return home.

Doors for both films open at 6pm and the music starts from approximately 7.15pm. The films will start at dusk. Ticket holders should meet at the visitor centre before being taken to the open-air cinema which will be a walk of around 15-20 minutes. Torches are advised.

Tickets cost £11 for adults (15 & over) and £6 for children. Grizedale Forest Discovery Pass holders can enjoy discounted entry at £9.50/£4.50. Tickets can be purchased online at www.picniccinema.co.uk or in person from the Grizedale Visitor Centre betwen 10am and 5pm daily.

Picnic Cinema is the latest from the Eden based organisation, recently one of the finalists in Cumbria Tourism’s Tourism Event of the Year Award for their C-Art project.

Eden Arts Director, Adrian Lochhead says: “We were inspired by other outdoor cinema events that take place around the UK, and given that we have the most spectacular outdoors of all we decided to put together this programme of cinema, live music and picnic, it’s going to be fun.”

All proceeds of Picnic Cinema ticket sales go towards REMOTE, a scheme to enable villages in England’s biggest and most sparsely populated district, Eden, to stage cinema events in their village halls.

Grizedale Forest is one of several venues across Cumbria to have been chosen to show the programme of films.

The forest comprises of 24.47 km² area of beautiful woodland in the Lake District located to the east of Coniston Water and to the south of Hawkshead. It boasts miles of waymarked footpaths, mounting biking routes for all abilities and a famous sculpture trail.

For more information go to www.visitlakelandforests.co.uk