This new program addresses Council’s vision of sense of community within a neighborhood. The City provides a kit containing everything a neighborhood would need to host a neighborhood movie night including a screen, projector, Blu-ray player, speakers and microphone. The kit is available for neighborhoods to borrow at no cost to host their own movie night. Neighborhoods select their date, venue (HOA or City park, block party) and provide their own movie. The City can help advertise the event with social media, neighborhood signs, and a postcard mailer. 

In today’s digital world, opportunities for neighbors to interact and get to know one another are becoming few and far between. The neighborhood movie kit allows neighborhoods to host a fun, easy event to bring neighbors together. The secret to the program is not the movie itself, but rather the opportunity to encourage neighborhoods to have ancillary events with the movie night designed to get residents to interact with one another. Neighborhoods can do a pot-luck dinner, or pot-luck desert, ice-cream social, beer or wine tasting and even a BBQ competition.

Based on initial feedback, the movie program is a hit with neighborhoods. One resident reported, “This idea is so cool, I’m so glad the city is offering this. I love being able to walk with my family down the street to get out of the house, see a movie without needing a sitter and meeting my neighbors.”

The Movie Chest includes: an outdoor movie screen, projector, Blu Ray player, tri pod stand, two speakers, two speaker stands, two extension cords, and cables. A movie manual is also provided to assist with set up.

• Setup: the equipment must be set up on private property and not on City right-of-way.  The movie chest is for Neighborhood or HOA event use only, no private parties. If a neighborhood wants to have an event in a City park, the resident must contact the Parks Department at 512-218-5400.
• Preparation of site:  Make sure sprinklers are turned off at least 8 hours before the equipment is setup.  Make sure there is sufficient electricity within at least 100 feet of the equipment. 
• Types of Movies/Neighborhood Etiquette: The City recommends family friendly movies when operating the equipment.  Please be aware that use of the equipment does not confer any waiver of City or HOA noise or use standards. The City is not responsible for copyright violations.
• Care of Equipment:  Resident shall be responsible for any and all damage to any equipment not caused by ordinary wear and tear.  “Ordinary wear and tear,” shall mean only the normal deterioration of the equipment caused by ordinary, reasonable and proper use of the equipment.
• Return of Equipment:  The resident agrees to return the equipment by the date/time indicated to the Neighborhood Services Coordinator at City Hall (221 E Main St, Round Rock, TX 78664).