Waite Park, Minnesota: Outdoor Movies Return

Scott Thyen -- “Mr. Outdoor Theater” to the kids in his Sauk Rapids neighborhood -- remembered the thrill of going to outdoor theaters as a child: the Cloud Theater in Waite Park, the 10-Hi Theater on south Highway 10, the tinny speakers clamped on rolled-down car windows, the foggy windshields on humid nights. He wanted to give that experience to a new generation.

Two years ago, Thyen set up a giant screen and projector in his backyard, invited friends, relatives, and neighbors over, and made fresh popcorn. The neighborhood response was immediate. “It's a good way to get neighbors together and have some inexpensive fun,” Thyen said. “My wife, Tammie, and our kids just love it. So does everyone else.”

Kids now jump up and down asking “When's the next movie?” Films they've enjoyed include National Treasure, The Goonies, and Sandlot, but the all-time neighborhood favorite is RV, the Robin Williams comedy. “Everybody loved that one. Everybody loves a good movie -- especially outdoors, under the stars, hunkered down with snacks.”