As the sky darkens on a hot summer night and the tourists littering the streets start to disperse, Colonial Williamsburg develops an invigorating atmosphere. Families and students spread blankets and lawn chairs in the middle of Prince George Street, for the Blue Talon’s Summer Movie Series, where every Sunday a different movie is projected on a screen set up outside the restaurant.
p. The event is held during the summer and presented by the Blue Talon, with many other local stores. Starting in July, movies including “Casablanca,” “Batman” and “Airplane!” were shown, but this weekend marks the last movie night of the season. The Blue Talon will wrap up its summer movie series Sunday at sunset with a showing of “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.”
p. An informal setting defines every aspect of the Blue Talon movie night. Attendees must bring their own seating. Food is available from the restaurant itself, in addition to 25-cent popcorn provided by Retro’s and ice cream from the adjacent Baskin Robbins. Even the time the movie starts is rarely set in stone. “We don’t really have a starting time,” Blue Talon Manager Louise Wood said. “We just wait ’til it gets dark.”
p. The atmosphre appeals to patrons. “It’s outdoors, really open and a good environment,” Williamsburg resident John Sizemore said. He heard about the event just by word of mouth.
p. Now in its second year, the Blue Talon Summer Movie Series has been continued largely thanks to the substantial community response.
p. “Last year we [rented] the screen, but it was so successful that we decided to purchase it,” Wood said. And now, with the support of other community organizations, such as Merchants Square, the city of Williamsburg and The Peanut Shoppe, the movie night’s future is increasingly assured. “It’s definitely returning next year,” Wood said.
p. The movie series provides a way to advertise the restaurant that — unlike print ads or other forms of advertising — can also give something back to the Williamsburg community. “Really, it is to give back to our clientele to say thank you,” Wood said.
The movies are appealing to the Williamsburg community.
p. “They’re just campy and fun,” Wendy Craighill, another Williamsburg resident, said. She heard of the movie night through Blue Talon’s website. “It’s free, open and fun. And I love the cartoons. I come every week.” As a treat for those who come a little early, old black-and-white cartoons, such as “Big Bad Sinbad” and other favorites, are shown beforehand.
p. The Blue Talon is open daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Information about the menu and the movie series can be found on its website, bluetalonbistro.com.
