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Cannon Valley Cinema teams with Merchants Bank to offer free Wednesday movies
by Kate Noet
By PAMELA THOMPSON pamela.thompson@apgsomn.com
What’s better than a hot summer day spent at the local pool? Perhaps a morning movie, watched inside an air-conditioned theater while munching popcorn and popping Skittles with family members.
Dennis Haines, general manager of Cannon Valley Cinema 10, said a free summer movie series that screens a family-friendly movie once a week, was inspired from a similar venture done in Lakeville.
The 10-week series was launched last year. Haines said this was the first year the free showings was sponsored by Merchants Bank.
“Everyone knows it might be kind of loud in the theater, but the families enjoy the experience,” he said.
According to Charlene Perella, a customer service representative for Merchant’s Bank, 300 people filled four theaters to watch “Minions Rise of Gru” the first week. That included a school group who came on a bus.
The second movie of the series, “The Croods: A New Age” attracted about 250 people and filled three theaters.
Haines said anyone attending the free films will also be seeing the trailers for upcoming movies, which will hopefully convince them to return to the theater.
“Summer used to be our biggest season when we would have three or four high-grossing movies each week,” he explained. “Now we get one big movie each week.”
Haines said this summer’s blockbusters are likely to be new versions of old classics starring Hollywood legends Tom Cruise and Harrison Ford. Cruise reprises his role in “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two” to be released nationwide July 14. Ford resumes his role as “Indiana Jones — and The Dial of Destiny,” released on June 30.
A couple movies releasing on the same July 21 weekend are also generating plenty of buzz. Greta Gerwig’s adultskewing, satire version of “Barbie” and a Christopher Nolan-helmed look at the making of the atomic bomb, “Oppenheimer,” will compete for customers that weekend.
There is less family friendly animated fare on the docket this summer, perhaps making the free showings of some of these older films even more attractive to local families.
Rebecca Jimenez, a customer service representative for Merchants Bank, said she’s seen kids happily skipping down the hallway to the theater, trailing popcorn in their wake.
“This gives Merchants Bank an opportunity to offer a fun activity for kids, parents and grandparents,” she said.
Cur tis Pecore-Kotek, an employee at Cannon Valley Cinema 10 and budding filmmaker, said he is proud to work for a local business that gives back to the community.
“It’s inspiring to see this happen here,” he said.
Pamela Thompson is the associate editor for the Northfield News. Reach her at 507-645-1115 or pamela.thompson@apgsomn.com.
If You Go
The Summer Movie Series 2023 at Cannon Valley Cinema 10 is sponsored by Merchants Bank. All Wednesday morning movies start at 10 a.m. The movie is free, while concessions can be purchased at regular prices.
July 26: “The Amazing Maurice”
August 2: “Sonic The Hedgehog 2”
August 9: “Lyle Lyle Crocodile”
August 16: “DC League of Superpets”
GET INVOLVED
The Faribault Makers Market runs 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays on the south side of Central Park. It runs in conjunction with the existing Faribault Farmers Market, which runs every Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon on the park’s north side.
For more information about Makers Market, visit facebook.com/ faribaultmakersmarket. For information about becoming a vendor, message the page or call St. Clair at 507-331-1802.
