Movie nights at Magnuson canceled due to safety concerns

If you were hoping to make it to movie night at Magnuson Park in the next few weeks, you're out of luck.

The outdoor movie series has been canceled part way through the season.

Organizers say security concerns at Magnuson have evolved into public safety issues and it's in the best interest of everyone to stop the event.

Seattle Police Department officials confirmed there have been a couple of incidents on a movie night in recent months, including a mugging.

But they say there hasn't been an overall uptick in crime in the park and disagree with assertions that the park is unsafe.

SPD officials also noted that they're not responsible for safety at the outdoor movie night events.

Doug Borneman, president of Epic Events, said his company hired private security guards. But he said the few incidents this year were enough for him to feel that Magnuson is no longer the right setting for the event.

The cancelation of this year’s series was met with sadness and frustration by commenters on the Seattle Outdoor Movies facebook page.

Borneman said he hopes to bring the movie night back in 2018, but he doesn't know if or where that might happen.

There were five screenings left in the 2017 lineup. Screenings between July 27 and August 24 have been canceled.