Movies By Moonlight Start Aug. 24 (ICYMI)

SANDY SPRINGS, GA — The 2018 installment of Movies By Moonlight will begin Friday on the lawn at City Springs. This popular series organized by Leadership Sandy Springs blends family-friendly movies with a mini-festival atmosphere in the heart of the city.

The first show of Movies By Moonlight will be Disney's award-winning animated film, "Coco," and a slew of activities celebrating Mexican culture are planned to celebrate the start of the series, Leadership Sandy Springs said.

"We wanted to make the activities before the movie the best ever – to be fun and interesting for all ages and to honor the rich cultural traditions captured in the film, and we think we've done that," said Leadership Sandy Springs event co-chairs Stephanie Graham and Michael Bivone. "Our committee is very excited to present this Academy Award winner and themed activities to our community.

Pre-movie festivities start at 6 p.m., with the screenings beginning at dusk. Before the show gets under way, moviegoers will enjoy a dance performance by children enrolled in Sandy Springs' Los Ninos Primero dance program. The girls, ages 4 to 8, practice in Sandy Springs under the direction of Lilliann Tovar and Marin Perez, award-winning instructors who dance competitively across the United States. Atlanta-based Mariachi Los Arrieros, professional musicians originally from Guadalajara, Mexico, will perform throughout the venue.

Additionally, a full-size Day of the Dead Altar, dedicated to Charro, a Mexican singer of cowboy songs, will be on display. The altar, made by English Speakers of Other Languages math teacher and self-taught artist Oswaldo Elizable, is authentic and handmade. There will be games, face painting, a coloring station and a variety of food trucks and drawings for prizes. Moviegoers can also bring their own picnic and lawn chairs or blankets.

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Presenting sponsor Kaiser Permanente will be the first to host a sponsor reception for its guests on the City Terrace. Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul will be joined by the Consul General of Mexico in Atlanta, Javier Diaz, in welcoming the community to Movies by Moonlight and filmgoers will see a short-animated welcome from Leadership Sandy Springs.

"We could not be more excited to invite our entire community to watch this year's Movies by Moonlight right here - in the heart of Sandy Springs," LSS Executive Director Jan Paul said. "And, the fact that 'Coco' is a part of the inaugural season of the Performing Arts Center and offering a free event to our community is even more cause for celebration.

"I can't thank our committee and our sponsors enough. Without the generosity of our sponsors we would not be able to offer this wonderful community event. We've been called the 'best block party in town,' and we can't wait for Sandy Springs to enjoy it. We look forward to seeing everyone at the movies on Aug. 24 ," she added.

The second Movies By Moonlight event, set for Sept. 7, will feature "The Greatest Showman" while the series will close out on Oct. 5 with "Star Wars: The Last Jedi." Movies will be shown on a 30-foot inflatable screen.
Parking will be available in the garage and in lots and spaces around City Springs located at 1 Galambos Way, with additional parking at Sandy Springs United Methodist Activity Center.

For more information, visit the Leadership Sandy Springs website or Movies By Moonlight Facebook page. You can also call 404-256-9091.

Photo: Standing In front of the new stage at City Springs, where pre-movie dance and music performances will take place, and near the big 30-foot outdoor movie screen where the movies will be shown, are from left: LSS Event Co-Chair Mike Bivone, LSS Board President Andrea Settles, Performing Arts Center General Manager Michael Enoch, Kaiser Permanente Director Sales Operations and Support Phillip Jones, LSS Executive Director Jan Paul, Spectra Regional VP and General Manager Trent Merritt, City Finance Director Karen Ellis and daughter Gracie Ellis. The Mexican sombreros, mask and pinata were provided by Los Ninos Primero, the preschool program whose young dancers will perform before Coco in celebration of their Mexican culture. Credit: Leadership Sandy Springs