This Friday, September 25th, at sunset- all are invited to the fourth screening of the 2026 Santa Cruz Guerilla Drive-In season!

 

This Friday, September 25th, at sunset- all are invited to the fourth screening of the 2026 Santa Cruz Guerilla Drive-In season! 

We are doing something a little different this month. Besides a new location, the shorts are actually part of the feature. Read on for more details. 

This month we want to highlight the animations of Frédéric Back, a French-Canadian artist and film director of short animated films. Instead of shorts, beginning at sunset, we will screen the following Back short films:

- Crac! (1981) 15min - The long life of a hand carved rocking chair

- Tout~Rien (All~Nothing) (1978) 11min - The long & restless life of human desire & consumption.

After intermission, we are excited to present Wolfwalkers (2020) - In an Irish forest at the edge of an English-occupied town, two girls become unlikely friends — one a wolf hunter's daughter, the other a wild spirit who can transform into a wolf beneath the moon. Together they must protect the ancient woods from those who would tame it, and discover a magic that links their fates forever.

NEW LOCATION: This screening will be at the corner of Locust & Cedar St, in downtown Santa Cruz (a block from Pacific Ave). We will reclaim a parking lot, and project onto a large wall, on the backside of the downtown multi-plex.

BRING blankets, pillows, anything you need to be comfortable in the great outdoors with early cool weather and fog, friends, snacks to share. Donations to support the project are more than welcome - and notaflof* so not expected!. (*no one turned away for lack of funds).

SANTA CRUZ GUERILLA DRIVE-IN is an outdoor movie theatre under the stars that springs up in the fields and industrial wastelands. Beyond showing great free movies and bringing a broad community together, part of our mission is helping reclaim public space and transforming our urban environment.

Reminder: Friday August 28th at sunset

Reminder: Friday August 28th at sunset under the Soquel Avenue bridge on the sandy bank of the river: all are invited to the third screening of the 2026 Santa Cruz Guerilla Drive-In season!

Imagine a first-contact movie where the stakes aren't about surviving a war, but surviving our own instinct to destroy what we don't understand. _Arrival_ (adapted from Ted Chiang's "Story of Your Life") is a masterclass in intellectual sci-fi. Instead of lasers, Dr. Louise Banks uses grammar and syntax to save the world. It’s a quiet, visually stunning, and emotionally devastating masterpiece that proves language might just be the most powerful tool we have. If you haven't seen it yet, prepare to look at time and memory completely differently.

URBAN WASTELAND LOCATION (ACTUALLY ALONG THE RIVER MORE LIKE AN OASIS): from downtown, head south on Soquel Avenue. At Riverside, by the Royal Taj, turn right. Follow the path down to the Sandy area under the bridge.

NOTE: let's take care of the spot and pack it in pack it out. When the film is over please be respectful of the neighbors when leaving and use library voices.

PLUS thrilling short films, an intermission, great company, and a guaranteed good time!

BRING blankets, pillows, anything you need to be comfortable (consider a low folding chair that does not block others from seeing the screen), friends, snacks, snacks to share. Donations to support the project are more than welcome but no one turned away for lack of funds (NOTAFLOF for real!).

SANTA CRUZ GUERILLA DRIVE-IN is an outdoor movie theater under the stars that springs up in the fields and industrial wastelands. Beyond showing great free movies and bring a broad community together, part of our mission is helping reclaim public space and transforming our urban environment

Friday August 28th at sunset!

 

Friday August 28th at sunset under the Soquel Avenue bridge on the sandy bank of the river: all are invited to the third screening of the 2026 Santa Cruz Guerilla Drive-In season!!!

“Arrival” - Twelve massive vessels appear without warning at sites around the globe — silent, motionless, unexplained. While governments scramble for weapons, and nations posture toward war, linguist, Dr. Louise Banks, is given the task of trying to communicate.

Based on the 1998 novella "Story of Your Life" by Ted Chiang, this Oscar nominated film isn't the alien movie you're expecting. There's no countdown to an invasion. No hero with a gun. The enemy, if there is one, might be us — our instinct to assume the worst about anything we don't understand yet.

URBAN WASTELAND LOCATION (ACTUALLY ALONG THE RIVER MORE LIKE AN OASIS): from downtown, head south on Soquel Avenue. At Riverside, by the Royal Taj, turn right. Follow the path down to the Sandy area under the bridge.

NOTE: let's take care of the spot and pack it in pack it out. When the film is over please be respectful of the neighbors when leaving and use library voices. 

PLUS thrilling short films, an intermission, great company, and a guaranteed good time!

BRING blankets, pillows, anything you need to be comfortable (consider a low folding chair that does not block others from seeing the screen), friends, snacks, snacks to share. Donations to support the project are more than welcome but no one turned away for lack of funds (NOTAFLOF for real!).

SANTA CRUZ GUERILLA DRIVE-IN is an outdoor movie theater under the stars that springs up in the fields and industrial wastelands. Beyond showing great free movies and bring a broad community together, part of our mission is helping reclaim public space and transforming our urban environment.

Our 2026 Santa Cruz Guerilla Drive-In schedule!

Hooray! For the first time in over a decade here is our Santa Cruz Guerilla Drive-In summer series schedule! And you can download a copy for yourself (and share with a friend). Print it out on an actual piece of paper and post on your fridge. 

Download 2026 Santa Cruz Guerilla Drive-In schedule!

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

 

     2026 Summer Schedule 

    (Mostly) Last Fridays! 

An outdoor movie theater under the stars

that springs up unexpectedly in the fields

and industrial wastelands. We do this to

reclaim public space and give a broad

community a reason to gather.

ALWAYS FREE! BRING blankets, friends, snacks

——————————————————————-

We Are The Best (2013) Sunset, June 26

Misfits Bobo, Klara, and the more reserved Hedvig 

navigate adolescence and punk culture, creating

 music as an outlet for their energy and anger, 

even when told punk is dead.

——————————————————————-

Summer Wars (2009) Sunset, July 31

In this animated film, a rogue AI threatens to take 

over and dismantle a virtual reality world that the 

entire real world heavily depends on. A family bands

 together to combat the AI but it takes the support 

of an entire populace to fight back.

——————————————————————-

 Arrival (2016) Sunset, Aug 28

12 massive vessels appear without warning at

sites around the globe. While governments

scramble for weapons, and nations posture

toward war, a linguist is given the task of

trying to communicate. The enemy, if there is

one, might be us — our instinct to assume the

worst about anything we don't understand yet.

——————————————————————-

Wolfwalkers (2020) + Frédéric Back Shorts

Sunset, Sept 25

In a forest at the edge of an English-occupied town, 

2 girls become unlikely friends - one a wolf hunter's 

daughter, the other a wild spirit who can transform into 

a wolf beneath the moon.Together they must protect 

the ancient woods from those who would tame it, 

and discover a magic that links their fates forever.

——————————————————————-

Hunt For The Wilderpeople (2016) Sunset, Oct 23 

Ricky, a defiant foster kid, is sent to live with a reclusive

 couple on the edge of the New Zealand bush. When

 tragedy strikes, Ricky and his gruff guardian Hector 

find themselves on the run, the subject of a nationwide 

manhunt that quickly spirals into myth. The film explores 

how the real danger might not be the wilderness, 

but the people and institutions trying to control them.

       

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

Friday July 31st at sunset under the Soquel Ave bridge on the sandy bank of the river - all are invited to the second screening of the 2026 Santa Cruz Guerilla Drive-In season!

 

Friday July 31st at sunset under the Soquel Ave bridge on the sandy bank of the river - all are invited to the second screening of the 2026 Santa Cruz Guerilla Drive-In season! 

“Summer Wars” - In this 2009 animated film, a rogue AI threatens to take over and dismantle OZ: a virtual reality world that the entire real world heavily depends on. When the threat becomes existential for humanity, a family bands together to combat the AI but it takes the support of an entire populace to fight back. 

SAME URBAN WASTELAND LOCATION: From downtown, head south on Soquel Avenue. At Riverside, by the Royal Taj, turn right. Follow the path down to the sandy area under the bridge. 

Note: Let’s take care of the spot and pack-it-in-pack-it-out. When the film is over please be respectful of the neighbors when leaving and use library voices.

PLUS thrilling short films, an intermission, great company and a guaranteed good time!

BRING blankets, pillows, anything you need to be comfortable in foldy metal chairs indoors, friends, snacks to share. Donations to support the project are more than welcome - and notaflof* so not expected!. (*no one turned away for lack of funds).

SANTA CRUZ GUERILLA DRIVE-IN is an outdoor movie theatre under the stars that springs up in the fields and industrial wastelands. Beyond showing great free movies and bringing a broad community together, part of our mission is helping reclaim public space and transforming our urban environment.  Find out more at website   https://www.guerilladrivein.org/ 

Info from https://www.instagram.com/p/DbNDkFPPYN3/ 

2nd screening of the 2026 SC GDI season! Last Friday July 31st at dusk.

All are invited to the second screening of the 2026 Santa Cruz Guerilla Drive-In season! Friday July 31st at dusk.

“Summer Wars” - In this 2009 animated film, a rogue AI threatens to take over and dismantle OZ: a virtual reality world that the entire real world heavily depends on. When the threat becomes existential for humanity, a family bands together to combat the AI but it takes the support of an entire populace to fight back. 

SAME URBAN WASTELAND LOCATION: From downtown, head south on Soquel Avenue. At Riverside, by the Royal Taj, turn right. Follow the path down to the sandy area under the bridge. 

Note: Let’s take care of the spot and pack-it-in-pack-it-out. When the film is over please be respectful of the neighbors when leaving and use library voices.

PLUS thrilling short films, an intermission, great company and a guaranteed good time!

BRING blankets, pillows, anything you need to be comfortable in foldy metal chairs indoors, friends, snacks to share. Donations to support the project are more than welcome - and notaflof* so not expected!. (*no one turned away for lack of funds).

SANTA CRUZ GUERILLA DRIVE-IN is an outdoor movie theatre under the stars that springs up in the fields and industrial wastelands. Beyond showing great free movies and bringing a broad community together, part of our mission is helping reclaim public space and transforming our urban environment.

SAVE THE DATE - FRIDAY JULY 31st

 

SAVE THE DATE - FRIDAY JULY 31st for our second screening of the Santa Cruz Guerilla Drive-In 2026 Summer Season! What film? Well, more information coming soon!

SAME URBAN WASTELAND LOCATION: From downtown, head south on Soquel Avenue. At Riverside, by the Royal Taj, turn right. Follow the path down to the sandy area under the bridge. Note: Let’s take care of the spot and pack-it-in-pack-it-out. When the film is over please be respectful of the neighbors when leaving and use library voices.

PLUS thrilling short films, an intermission, great company and a guaranteed good time!

BRING blankets, pillows, anything you need to be comfortable in foldy metal chairs indoors, friends, snacks to share. Donations to support the project are more than welcome - and notaflof* so not expected!. (*no one turned away for lack of funds).

SANTA CRUZ GUERILLA DRIVE-IN is an outdoor movie theatre under the stars that springs up in the fields and industrial wastelands. Beyond showing great free movies and bringing a broad community together, part of our mission is helping reclaim public space and transforming our urban environment.  Find out more at website - link in bio @sc_gdi 

From https://www.instagram.com/p/DaodjPDvWAy/