After a two-year closure for renovations, Cohen Lawn is back with a full slate of summer programming. Northwestern's Summer Cinema series opens Thursday, July 9, with an outdoor screening of Inside Out 2 at the new Kahn Pavilion, and the Thursday-night films continue all month: WALL-E (July 16), Turning Red (July 23), and Mulan (July 30).

Check-in starts at 6:30 p.m. each week, with movies rolling at dusk. Bring lawn chairs and blankets, grab a drink at Luna's Pub & Grill, and let the kids collect free glow sticks before showtime. The pavilion sits on the lakefront at Norris University Center, 1999 Campus Drive, Evanston.

The upgrades that kept the former East Lawn closed since 2024 added Kahn Pavilion's state-of-the-art audio-visual system and Luna's Pub & Grill, Northwestern's first campus bar in more than three decades, according to the Evanston RoundTable. Dan Foley, director of operations and programs at Norris University Center, said the renovated space was developed for the broader community, not just the university.

"It's really a low key festival and picnic atmosphere out there on the lakefront," Foley told the RoundTable. "Beautiful site."

Community movie night

A separate community movie night screens The Goat on Tuesday, July 28, at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium, 2235 Campus Drive. Gates open at 5:45 p.m., with the film starting at 6:30 p.m. Free popcorn, candy, and drinks will be available while supplies last, and attendees can bring their own snacks. RSVP is available through Northwestern's events page.

Dearborn Observatory

Every Friday night, residents can peer through the 18.5-inch refractor telescope at Dearborn Observatory, 2131 Tech Drive. Public viewing runs from 9 to 11 p.m. The first hour requires a reservation (a waitlist is available); the second hour is open to walk-ins.

The telescope was the largest in the United States in the late 1860s and was used to discover Sirius B, a companion to the brightest star in the night sky, according to Northwestern's physics department. The observatory building itself was moved 664 feet to its current location in 1939, a job that took 26 men three months at a top speed of 20 inches per minute.

Two new plays at Wirtz Chicago

Over at the Wirtz Center's Chicago campus at Abbott Hall, 710 N. Lake Shore Drive, two new productions open this month.

The Harvest runs Friday, July 17, through Sunday, July 19. The play follows a group of young evangelical missionaries in southeastern Idaho preparing to leave for the Middle East, with the story hinging on a grieving young man whose estranged sister tries to keep him from boarding a one-way flight. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday. Run time is 105 minutes with no intermission; suggested for ages 14 and up.

The River Bride, written by Marisela Treviño Orta and directed by Miranda Gonzalez, opens Friday, July 31, and runs through Sunday, August 2. Set in a small Brazilian fishing village, the story begins when a mysterious man is pulled from the Amazon River three days before a wedding. Showtimes follow the same pattern: 7:30 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. Run time is 90 minutes, no intermission; suggested for ages 12 and up.

Tickets for both productions are available through the Wirtz Center website.