Pineville To Hold Movie On The Square

Pineville will kick off its Movie on the Square season June 19, showing Frozen II.

ALEXUS UNDERWOOD/SPECIAL TO MCDONALD COUNTY PRESS Pineville Movie on the Square is set up in front of the Pineville stage, the cook shack is located beside the stage. At Movie on the Square there is a cook shack and bathroom that community members have access to.
ALEXUS UNDERWOOD/SPECIAL TO MCDONALD COUNTY PRESS Pineville Movie on the Square is set up in front of the Pineville stage, the cook shack is located beside the stage. At Movie on the Square there is a cook shack and bathroom that community members have access to.

PINEVILLE -- Pineville will host the first Movie on the Square event since pre-covid-19 restrictions on June 19. The event, which will take place on the Pineville Square, begins at 7 p.m., with music playing and the cook shack opening to sell food and beverages. The film, Frozen II, is set to begin at dusk. At Movie on the Square, families can buy from the cook shack, enjoy the free film, and children have the chance to win prizes.

Gregg Sweeten, mayor of Pineville, said Movie on the Square has been a part of Pineville for nearly five years. The event is planned to stretch from the months of May to August, with all May showings canceled this year due to poor weather. Sweeten said the city offers Movie on the Square to add more to Pineville.

"We want to be able to offer different things for folks to be able to do in town," Sweeten said. "We came up with the idea several years ago, and we've had great crowds. We've had up to 150 people there before, at a movie. The more we can offer for our citizens to do, the better I feel about it."

Sweeten said the city works to keep Movie on the Square free for anyone to attend. In addition to the free movie, Sweeten said costs are kept low in the cook shack so families can have an inexpensive experience.

"With the prices of movies what they are these days, there's a lot of times that families just can't afford to take their kids to see these shows," Sweeten said. "It's free for them to come here. We don't charge outlandish prices for the concessions. We want to be able to give them a bag of popcorn for 50 cents."

Stephanie Sweeten, wife to Gregg Sweeten and deputy sheriff and court bailiff, volunteers in the cook shack during Movie on the Square. Stephanie said all goods available for purchase in the cook shack range between 50 cents and $3. In the past, the cook shack has sold cotton candy, funnel cakes, deep-fried Oreos, snow cones, nachos, hot dogs, popcorn, and drinks. Stephanie said her favorite thing about Movie on the Square is seeing the community come together.

"I think it's just getting to see the community be able to come together," Stephanie said. "Coming together and having something to do with the kids on the square in town."

Stephanie said it was disheartening to have to cancel Movie on the Square showings last summer due to covid-19, she said she is excited to be able to offer the event this summer. Stephanie said, without volunteers helping in the cook shack, Movie on the Square would not be possible.

"I would like to thank the people that come out and help volunteer with movie nights," Stephanie said. "Especially in the cook shack. I can't do it by myself."

Movie on the Square is scheduled to offer a movie each month until the month of August. Community members are welcome to bring their own food and drink as well as their lawn chairs to the square for the event.