Downtown San Jose: Silicon Valley's City Center

Starlight Cinemas

Thanks for participating this year in Starlight Cinemas. We finished with a bang - 3,000 zombies around downtown for parades, fashion show, costume contest and the screening of "Fido."

Starlight Cinemas is a traveling cinema series coming to a downtown neighborhood near you...

11 Wednesday nights of family fun under the stars this year!

Take advantage of San Jose's warm, summer nights and enjoy a movie under the star-studded sky with your friends.

Pre-show entertainment starting at 7 p.m. is often as much fun as the feature!

Starlight Cinemas 2010

Explore one of three distinct downtown neighborhoods (San Pedro Square, Historic District and SoFA District) each week and meet the people and businesses that give downtown its character.

Pre-show fun starts at 7 p.m. (except for the Zombie-O-Rama). Movies begin at dusk. BYOC (or B) - Bring Your own Chair or Blanket (high-backed chairs are OK). Stop by a restaurant and pick up your food "to go" of course. Beer and wine need to be purchased on site.

CSP crowd eating San Pedro Square every 2nd and 4th Wednesdays on San Pedro Street between Santa Clara and St. John Street. Featuring Action / Adventure Classic films. New restaurants stand side-by-side longtime favored eating establishments. European-style café seating beckons. Come early, have a seat, and hang out. Click here for a selection of places to eat during San Pedro Square Starlight Cinema nights. Downtown wine and beer sponsors will serve libations in the street.

Series sponsors La Pinata and Sonoma Chicken will provide pre-movie specials, so stop by or call ahead.

EARLIER THIS SUMMER

June 8 – Blues Brothers (1980) R

Pre-movie entertainment: The best Jake and Elwood costumes will win a prize. Also, enjoy LIVE blues music before the movie. And brush up on your Blues Brothers trivia for the pre-movie contest.

June 22 – Princess Bride (1987) PG

Pre-movie entertainment: Be brave, stand up, and recite your 1-minute dedication to your “true love.” Whatever or whomever that may be, here's your chance to share your Hallmark moment with the world. Also, be ready for some “inconceivable” pre-movie trivia and games.

July 13 – Spaceballs (1987) PG

Pre-movie entertainment: Come dressed as your favorite space movie character for a chance to win tickets to The One Man Star Wars Trilogy show at the San Jose Rep Theatre July 14 – 17. Also, The Rebel Legion will be on site for a chance for you to meet your favorite Star Wars characters.

July 27 – Despicable Me (2010) PG

When a criminal mastermind uses a trio of orphan girls as pawns for a grand scheme, he finds their love is profoundly changing him for the better. Starring Steve Carell, Jason Segel and Russell Brand.

Pre-movie entertainment: Enjoy a night of mass "Musical Chairs" to the soundtrack.

August 10 – Toy Story (1995) G Note: Due to licensing agrements and scheduling difficulties, "Dazed and Confused" has been canceled. Toy story, originally planned for July 27, has been rescheduled for Aug. 10.

Pre-movie entertainment: Mr. Potato Head contest – bring one of your own creations or build one on site before the movie. For the kid in all of us – fun, crowd participation games to be announced soon!

August 24 – Swingers (1996) R

Pre-movie entertainment: Enjoy THE PIMPSTICKS who will be bringing their cool, jazz/swing stylings. Show us how “money” you are - prizes for best swing outfits and dancing will make it worth sweating in the streets!

Starlight Cinemas at Historic District Historic District every 3rd Wednesday (June 15, July 20, Aug 17) on Post Street between Market and First streets. Featuring 1930s-1950s Classic films. Discover unparalleled entertainment and dining options tucked inside some of downtown's historic buildings, plus transit services steps from the front door. Downtown wine and beer sponsors will have their lbations ready for you to enjoy during the movie.

EARLIER THIS SUMMER

June 15 – Grease (Sing Along) (1978) PG

Pre-movie entertainment: Come dressed as your favorite "Grease" character and be eligible to win a prize. Also, get ready for a group hand jive. Our guest emcees will lead us through a fun, crowd participatory night singing along to "Grease."

July 20 – The Birds (1963) No Rating - Classic Hitchcock filmed in Bodega Bay area

Pre-movie entertainment: Andy’s Pet Shop (now downtown!) will sponsor a “Bird Parade” showcasing talents and colors of local birds. Bird owners are encouraged to bring your own birds to participate. 7:30 – 8:30 pm. Also, be ready for Hitchcock Trivia Contest.

August 17 – Viva Las Vegas (1963) No Rating - Viva Elvis!

Pre-movie entertainment: Calling all Elvises – join in on the Elvis impersonator contest before the movie for a chance at fabulous prizes. Broadway San Jose will promote the Million Dollar Quartet Broadway show with karaoke – encouraging songs by any of the quartet singers (Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis or Carl Perkins). And, Tabard Theatre Co. will promote its “Bandstand Beat” show by encouraging impromptu “auditions” by crowd members to sing songs along to karaoke backing music of popular artists from the 1950s and 60s. They are looking to schedule talented singers in the local community for their “celebrity drop-in” scene in the show. which will run Sept. 16 – Oct. 9 at the Theatre on San Pedro Square.

Also, Sherman Cellars has an event for $15 per person that includes wine tasting and "Elvis Bites" including fried PB and Banana sandwiches with bacon!

Starlight Cinemas SoFA

SoFA District July 6 and Aug 31 at the intersection of South First and William streets in the Polycleaners parking lot. Featuring cult and indie classics. An arts and entertainment hub and home of the growing late night gallery crawl,South First Fridays. The SoFA District is rich with options to stimulate your creativity.

COMING UP

August 31 – Fido (2007) PG-13 - Part of ZOMBIE-O-RAMA III

Pre-movie entertainment: The popular San Jose pre-and post-movie zombie crawl returns, with participating businesses around downtown offering specials and inviting zombies inside... Check outzombieorama.com for updates. Makeup starts at noon at SLG headquarters (577 S. Market St.) / the action starts at 5 p.m. And don't forget the canned food drive benefiting Second Harvest.

Zombie-O-Rama schedule

5:00 – 10:00pm – Drop off canned food to support Second Harvest Food drive at the SJDA booth at the Starlight Cinemas movie site – 520 South First Street (South First between William and Reed Streets/next to Gore Park).

Check out vendor booths that include: SJDA; Slave Labor Graphics Art & Boutiki; The Metro; Psycho Donuts; The Tech Shop giving instructional FX make up tips; Touch of Death jewelry and accessories; Latex make up tips; Live 105 Radio with prize giveaways; KSJS promotions; Great America with their prize wheel and Hearst; plus your favorite food trucks - MoGo BBQ, Treatbot and Quick Dogs.

6:00 – 8:30pm – Pre-movie Zombie Crawl - rally meet up location at Gore Park – pick up club crawl maps /groups leave every 15 minutes (see list below)

6:15 - 6:45 pm - Young Zombies Parade (family friendly – for zombies who are 12 and under)

7:15 - 7:45pm - Music by Brass Hysteria

8:00 - 8:30 pm - Zombie costume contest (sign up by 7:45 at the SJDA booth)

8:45-9:15 pm - Zombie fashion show

9:30 – 11:00pm – Starlight Cinemas movie screening of "FIDO" (PG-13)

11 pm - POST-Movie zombie crawl continues throughout SoFA and downtown (see list below)

List of Crawl Stops that are offering specials and discounts before and after the movie:

SLG Art Boutiki - FREE COMICS FOR ZOMBIES! Once again be providing exclusive make-up service for the event. Prices start as low as $5.00, open at noon.

South 1st Billiards - 420 South 1st Street - "DO NOT EAT THE STAFF" SPECIALS: $2 bud light; $3 jugular juice shooters; $5 Type "O" 'tails; $5 dead stench garlic fries;
MIDNIGHT ZOMBIE STOMP SPECIALS: $2 well drinks; $4 Jack Daniels and Jager shots; $5 long islands; $5 dead stench garlic fries; $10 flat rate pool for unlimited zombies

Agenda Bar, Restaurant and Lounge - 399 S. First St. - 2 for 1 drink specials to zombies.

Brix Nightclub - 349 S. First St. - specials all night to those in zombie attire.

The Blue Chip (all ages) - 325 South First Street - $2 Tecate and Free Fries w/ an Order of ant Cheesesteak for zombies.

Pho69 Noodle (all ages) - 321 South First Street - Power Hour prices for zombies: $4 starters, $3 beers and $4 wines.
Caffe Frascati – formerly Caffe Trieste (all ages) - 315 S. First Street - Happy Hour Drink Specials for zombies.

Psycho Donuts (all ages) - 288 South Second Street - Free calendar with any donut purchase.

Tech Shop San Jose (all ages) - 300 S 2nd St, San Jose, CA - Discounts on memberships, free tours and demos.

Cinebar - 69 E. San Fernando St.- $1 off drinks all night to zombies.

The Caravan Lounge - 98 S. Almaden Ave. - $2 zombie brain/jello shots and zombie karaoke.

Almost 2,000 "Zombies" took to the streets for Zombie-O-Rama II
an exciting ending to a great season.

FYI: Zombies (who not need food) donated more than 850 pounds of food to Second Harvest Food Bank, 300 pounds more in 2010! Thanks much.

2010 Zombie-O-Rama II photo highlights

2009 Zombie-O-Rama photo highlights

EARLIER THIS SUMMER

July 6 – The Big Lebowski (1998) R

Pre-movie entertainment: Join the Big Lebowski costume contest to win fun prizes – come as your favorite character from the movie and be ready to try out your best impression. Local band Bobby Joe Ebola and the Chicken MacNuggits will entertain with music that “The Dude” would enjoy. Look for pre and post movie SoFA neighborhood restaruant/bar crawl specials for those dressed as Lebowski characters: http://www.achievercon.com/.

Before you come downtown visit sjdowntownparking.com to keep your drive stress-free

Parking: $4 parking after 6 p.m. is available in CITY OF SAN JOSE garages, such as the garages at Third Street near Santa Clara Street and at Market and San Pedro streets. Public lots near the Cinema Venues also offer affordable parking after 6 p.m.

SERIES SPONSORS: