SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – Movie theaters across KELOLAND are celebrating the 2nd National Cinema Day with reduced ticket prices and rereleased hits from earlier this summer.
“We’ve had a tough few years and we’re really just trying to build momentum,” Todd Frager, the owner of West Mall 7 Theater, said. “It’s a good idea to offer a less expensive ticket for people that maybe didn’t get to see something this summer, or didn’t get to go to Barbie or Oppenheimer.”
Over 3,000 movie theaters across the country are participating in the event Sunday, August 27, including Dakota Cinema in Madison. The local theater will have a special reshowing of “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” at 1:45 p.m. on Sunday.
Dakota Cinema will also have $4 ticket prices for all shows throughout the day and deals on concessions like a $4 large popcorn, $4 collector cup and $4 for all large candy.
Dakota Cinema August 27 Showtimes
The Super Mario Bros.- 1:45 p.m.
Gran Turismo- 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Stray- 4:15 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.
Cheap tickets and rerun movies aren’t the only thing Dakota Cinema will be doing to celebrate National Cinema Day. Kelli Brown, the owner of the theater, said that from 1-3 p.m., people will have the chance to play the PS4 game, Gran Turismo, on the big screen. Kids will have 10 minutes to run their fastest race in the game, which is the inspiration behind the new movie by the same name. The winner will receive a Gran Turismo t-shirt, Dakota Cinema merchandise and a gift card.
“We’re just trying to make more of the day, because yeah, we’ve got our movies and everything too, but this is something fun that you don’t get to do every day,” Brown said.
Dakota Cinema started hosting gaming parties during COVID to keep people coming to the theater without new movies being released. Brown’s three sons all enjoy video games and figured out they can connect their Playstation or Nintendo Switch to the projector and play games from the theater seats.
“It’s so fun to play on the big screen, it’s huge so you’re just totally immersed in it,” Brown said.
The West Mall 7 theater will also be participating in National Cinema Day so all their ticket prices will be $4. Frager said the event is a way to end the summer movie season and allow people a second chance to see their favorites at a cheaper price.
“With school starting and people kind of settling down at the end of summer, it’s something where you can still get away, have some fun and go to a movie,” Frager said. “It’s still some entertainment that people can have at the end of summer.”
Other locations celebrating National Theater Day
Golden Ticket Cinemas 9 Aberdeen
Cinema 8 Brookings
Dells Theatre Dell Rapids
Huron Luxury Cinemas
Logan Luxury 5 Cinema Mitchell
State Theater 123 Pierre
Golden Ticket Rushmore 7 Rapid City
Northern Hills Cinema Spearfish
Odyssey Grand 8 Theatre Watertown
