Moonlight Movies returns with new themed schedule

MURPHY (March 1, 2024) Aficionados of the City of Murphy’s annual Moonlight Movies series will notice a change in the scheduling of the outdoor offerings this year, as the Special Events staff has coordinated themes for each of the four movies in the series to events on the calendar.

The series begins with EasterPalooza on March 28, featuring “Zootopia.” Then, it resumes with Back 2 School on July 26, showing “The Little Mermaid,” followed by the Halloween edition on Oct. 25 with “The Addams Family.” The series concludes with Christmas in the Park on Dec. 5, featuring “The Polar Express.”  EasterPalooza and Back 2 School will occur at Murphy Central Park, 550 North Murphy Road, while Halloween and Christmas in the Park will occur at the City Hall Complex. B & B Theatre will be serving free popcorn at each movie event.

“We’ve put together a lineup of movies that have a special connection to various dates on the community calendar,” said Ashley Hudson, Special Events Coordinator. “Fans of Moonlight Movies will be able to enjoy the films and be entertained with fun activities associated with the special themes.”             

Kicking off the newly revamped schedule is EasterPalooza, on Thursday, March 28. Festivities start at 6 p.m. and conclude at 9 p.m. In addition to the movie, which begins at dusk around 7:30 p.m., there will be various Easter-themed activities that will delight everyone from infants to adults. 

For starters, the Easter Bunny will be posing for photos with participants. Organizers emphasize that those wishing to take advantage of the photo op should bring their cameras or use their cell phones. The Easter Bunny will not be the only cottontail at the event as a bunny petting zoo will be set up for stroking the cuddly little bunnies. In addition, inflatables, crafts, face painting, and a not-to-be-missed inaugural Easter Egg Hunt are also on the evening’s schedule. 

The hunt, which requires registration, will include searches for different age groups, all looking to discover over 10,000 eggs. Local businesses Smile Doctors – Wylie and Glossy Dental have teamed up with other sponsors and First Baptist Church - Murphy to co-host this fun activity.

To ensure everyone’s safety, separate locations and times for the various age divisions of the hunt have been designated. For example, hunts begin at 6:30 p.m. for children aged 2 to 4 as well as those aged 5 to 7. Hunters between ages 8 and 12 will start their hunt at 7 p.m., and finally, egg hunters aged 13 and above can begin at 7:30 p.m. The egg hunters in the final group, called the adult hunt, should remember to bring a flashlight or use their cell phones to illuminate their search.

Adult hunt participants will be searching for more than candy. Sponsors have donated gift cards from various restaurants, vouchers for local businesses, and several grand prizes including gift baskets, Stanley cups, a robot vacuum cleaner, headphones, a mini drone, and a Meta Quest 2.

Easter Egg Hunt registration is now open at https://secure.rec1.com/TX/murphy-tx/catalog and will remain open until March 22. On-site registration will also be accepted on the evening of the event. Egg hunters should arrive 30 minutes before their scheduled start time to obtain their location.

“This will be an extremely fun event and will set the stage for our other Moonlight Movies throughout the year,” added Hudson.