By Brock Weir

It's still a few months before local families can enjoy box office hits under the twilight of summer skies, but Aurora's Movies in the Park series is getting a Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious twist.

Next Saturday, April 27, at the Stronach Aurora Recreation Complex, the Town will host a free screening of Mary Poppins Returns at Movies in the SARC.

Played by Emily Blunt, viewers catch up with Mary Poppins as she returns to Cherry Tree Lane and the next generation of Banks children for some new adventures accompanied by Jack the Chimney Sweep, as portrayed by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

The free screening gets underway at 6 p.m., but doors will open early at 4 p.m. for a number of Mary Poppins-themed crafts and activities.

“We are super, super excited to have a Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious experience at the first movie for the Movies in the Park series and we have tried to do everything Practically Perfect as Mary Poppins would have tried to do,” says Shelley Ware, Special Events Coordinator for the Town of Aurora. “With this event, not only do we have the dynamic sensational box office hit Mary Poppins Returns we'll be showing, we're also going to be raffling off free Town of Aurora Summer Camps this summer. Not everyone knows, but the Town of Aurora camps have been voted as number one camps in York Region.

“As well, families will actually be able to meet some of the camp counsellors. They will be the ones supervising the activities offered before the movie, so it is a great way, as a parent, to ask all the questions you have about the summer camps, what you can expect, what your child will expect. There are more than 60 different camps offered this summer. It is quite impressive the lineup that is offered, so this is a great, fun way to showcase what our summer camp program has to offer.”

In addition to crafts and the sneak peek at summer camp opportunities, the Movies in the SARC program will feature a musical performance from Marquee Theatrical Productions and a chance to meet a Mary Poppins tribute who will be coming complete with her “trinket trunk” and face painting kit.

“If kids prove they know their manners well, they get to go into our trinket trunk to actually get a prize out of it,” says Ms. Ware, noting it's probably not a good idea for movie-goers to leave their mouths hanging open like codfish. “Manners, Manners, Manners will be the theme for the evening and kids will have a fun way of learning them. We're striving to do everything in a way that Mary Poppins would approve.

“As well, STEM Minds will be on site, each with an interactive, really cool activity that kids can have a hands-on experience with and give them a taste on what our summer camp programs (like Engineering for Kids) will offer this year. It is going to be super, super fun.”

Mary Poppins Returns forms the centrepiece of Movies at the SARC next Saturday, April 27. Doors open at 4 p.m. with a showtime set at 6 p.m. Admission, crafts and activities are all free of charge. The popular Movies in the Park series for 2019 is set to take place August 15, August 22, and August 29.

For more information, visit www.aurora.ca/moviesinthepark.