Rooftop Cinema Club, the London-based outdoor movie theater experience, is returning to a rooftop in Fulton Market next month.
If you love rooftop experiences, and have already visited the best Chicago hotels with rooftop bars, but are now looking for something more, enjoying a movie, good food and nice drinks, after having played some lawn games and have the opportunity to socialize with other movie lovers might be the answer.
Where to go?
The same as in the past couple of years, the screenings will take place on the fifth floor terrace of The Emily Hotel at 311 N Morgan Street starting May 8. The 1997 romantic comedy Love Jones will open the season this year, with a vast variety of movies from numerous genres to follow.
Comprising sweeping skyline views and all the materials for a perfect viewing experience like state-of-the-art wireless headphones, adjustable deck chairs, and, of course, a huge screen showing iconic movies, Rooftop Cinema Club provides what it calls the “ultimate open-air cinema experience.”
In case you plan an event related to the movie night and have out of town guests, the hotel offers very nice rooms.
What started on a single rooftop in London in 2011, now expanded with two more venues in the UK and seven across the US, in New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, Houston, Chicago, Miami and Fort Worth.
This year, the team’s mission is to bring people together, in the name of peace, love and great cinema, proposing a new type of outdoor entertainment by transforming ordinary rooftops across the world into extraordinary culture hubs which bring people together.
What can you expect in ambiance and services
In addition to state-of-the-art LED screens and individual wireless headphones provided to all attendees, there are also lawn games for some post-screening fun, tropical decor and a range of seating options, from lounge chairs to loveseats. Be sure to arrive early if you want to pick the best seats, the doors will open 60 minutes before the screening.
Of course, since Chicagoans are known for their love of food, snacks and drinks from a summer beverage list from Selva (including cocktails curated by the hotel’s own mixologists) will be on offer as well, especially since you can’t bring your own food and drinks. With daily screenings, guests can enjoy optimum experiences at the most beautiful times – golden hour, sunset, and dusk every day of the week.
Guests can bring their own blankets or purchase blankets from The Emily Hotel. In the event of a canceled screening due to inclement weather, the Rooftop Cinema Club will notify you as soon as possible via email with details on how to transfer your tickets to another screening or obtain a refund. You can check the current status of a future screening on the program tiles of the venue page.
Rom-coms, musicals and kid-friendly movies on the program this year
About the movies that will be screened: tickets will buy you access to some pretty cool movies. You will be treated to classic rom-coms (10 Things I Hate About You! Dirty Dancing! Pretty Woman! My Best Friend’s Wedding! The Breakfast Club! When Harry Met Sally…!), top-notch musicals (Chicago! Grease! Mamma Mia!), kid-friendly picks (Shrek! Ratatouille! Freaky Friday! The Parent Trap! Harry Potter!) and much more. Here you have the program for the first two weeks of screenings in May.
Wednesday, May 8th
- Love Jones at 8 p.m.
Thursday, May 9th
- Love Jones at 7 p.m.
- The Blackening at 10 p.m.
Friday, May 10th
- 10 Things I Hate About You at 5:15 p.m.
- Love & Basketball at 8:15 p.m.
- Friday at 11:15 p.m.
Saturday, May 11th
- Mean Girls (2024) at 11 a.m.
- The Princess Bride at 1:45 p.m.
- Dreamgirls at 4:30 p.m.
- Anyone But You at 8 p.m.
- A Low Down Dirty Shame at 10:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 12th
- Wonka at 1:30 p.m.
- Mamma Mia! at 4:45 p.m.
- Everything Everywhere All At Once at 8 p.m.
Monday, May 13th
- Dirty Dancing at 7 p.m.
- La La Land at 9:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May 14th
- Pride & Prejudice at 7 p.m.
- Pretty Woman at 10 p.m.
Wednesday, May 15th
- Brown Sugar at 7:15 p.m.
- Scream at 10 p.m.
More information can be found at rooftopcinemaclub.com.
In June, the movies will tell a LGBTQIA+ related story
In June, during Pride month, the movie slate will include a “collection of films either made by or starting LGBTQIA+ artists, those that tell their stories, and others that are just downright beloved by the community,” according to an official press release.
How to find tickets
Tickets to each screening are on sale right here—where you can read through the full slate of films—and the program will run through July 7. Catching a movie up on that rooftop is one of the most relaxing experiences you can have in Chicago, so you might want to think ahead and buy tickets for more than one movie.
If a screening is canceled because of the weather, the Rooftop Cinema Club will notify you as soon as possible via email with details on how to transfer your tickets to another screening or obtain a refund. You can check the current status of a future screening on the program tiles of the venue page.
