Belvidere’s ‘Friday Movie Night’ a blockbuster hit

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C.L. Smith
Reporter
BELVIDERE – Boone County residents braved chilly temps for a night of free family fun.
The Belvidere Chamber of Commerce hosted one of four January Movie Nights on Friday, Jan. 22, at the Community Center Complex of Boone County, 111 W. First St. in Belvidere.
In 2013, with Belvidere still reeling from the effects of a stumbling economy, Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Thomas Lassandro wanted to create something special for the community.
“We knew families were hurting financially, and we knew they weren’t going out and doing anything fun for themselves,” Lassandro said.
Lassandro and the other commerce members set out to change that. They wanted to bring families and neighbors together under one roof. But as family budgets were getting squeezed tighter, they knew it ultimately had to be inexpensive.
With the help of local businesses, Belvidere’s Chamber of Commerce did better than inexpensive, they made it free. Friday Movie Night was born.
Around 300 people settled into the Community Complex on Friday for a showing of The Lego Movie, sponsored by VFW Post 1461, a common turnout according to Lassandro.
“We average about 350 to 400 people per event,” he said. “Our worst night we only had about 125 show-up, but that was during a nasty, slushy snowstorm,” he added.
Along with free admission, popcorn was provided at no cost to attendees by Blackhawk Bank, as well as free ice cream provided by Dean Foods.

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When local parents, John and Kelly, heard about the event through a church flier, they thought it would be a great opportunity to take their three young kids out for and evening without breaking the bank.
“We heard it was free, that’s great, that’s why we came,” Kelly said.
With tight city budgets, staffing for these events consists entirely of volunteers, young and old.
Garrin, a second grader at Seth Whitman Elementary, is in her second year of volunteering at Friday Movie Night.
“I just really like helping people,” Garrin said. “Plus, we get a lot of free stuff, get to see a movie and get to see a lot of people.”