A Boston summer ritual going back more than two decades, Free Friday Flicks brings family blockbusters to the DCR Hatch Shell lawn on the Esplanade, presented with WBZ NewsRadio. The movie starts at sundown, but the evening starts earlier: families spread blankets while the Charles turns pink behind them, and the pre-show warms things up with games, trivia, and giveaways.

Everything is free and unticketed — just show up with a blanket or lawn chairs and a picnic and stake out a patch of grass. The lineup leans big, crowd-pleasing, all-ages titles, so it’s an easy call for kids, though plenty of adults come without any. Arrive early on nice nights, since the lawn fills fast and the best sightlines to the screen go first. Screenings are weather-dependent, so check before you haul the cooler over.