By Reid Posey

news@oxfordeagle.com

As we inch into summer, the Oxford Park Commission continues to provide safe, family-friendly fun for the entire Oxford community through several of its summer programs, such as its monthly Kids Night Out events as well as its annual summer series Movies and Music in the Park.

This Saturday OPC will be hosting this month’s edition of Kids Night Out at the Oxford Activity Center. Held on the third Saturday of every month, the event is a chance for children around the community to come together and have a day of fun together.

“Basically the kids have the whole gym to themselves,” said event programmer Sam Pryor.

Explaining that the event is essentially a community-wide lock-in for kids, Pryor said that the day will consist of activities ranging from sports to movies to story time.

The event runs from 4 to 10 p.m., and the registration price is $15 per child. Parents can register their children online at www.oxfordparkcommission.com, at the OPC administrative office at 310 S. 15th St., or at the Oxford Activity Center. The program is open to all children ages 5 to 13.

If you can’t make it to Kids Night Out, however, never fear — OPC is scheduled to continue its Movies and Music in the Park series a mere six days later.

Held at Avent Park, Movies and Music in the Park is free to the public and features musical performances starting at 7 p.m., brought to you by the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council, followed immediately afterward by the presentation of a family-friendly movie on a giant inflatable screen. The next installment of the series is scheduled for June 24, featuring music provided by McLeod & Guyer and a screening of the 2014 edition of “Annie.”

The event series, sponsored by Cannon Motors, continues to grow in popularity among the Oxford community, event programmer Mike Young said.

“We’ve definitely been growing,” Young said. “We’re probably seeing somewhere between 150 up to 250 people, somewhere around there. We’ve seen great participation.”

Young said that through their partnership with the Arts Council, they have reserved the Old Armory Pavilion on Bramlett Boulevard as an alternate location in the event of uncooperative weather.

In addition to the June 24 event, the Movies and Music in the Park series will feature two more nights of fun before the end of summer.

On July 8, music will be provided by Pilot of the Clouds, followed by a showing of the animated feature “Hotel Transylvania.”

Rounding out the series on July 22 is a musical performance by Damien Wash, followed by a screening of the Pixar hit “Inside Out.”

For information on Kids Night Out, Movies and Music in the Park, and other programs offered by the Oxford Park Commission, visit its Facebook page or its website at www.oxfordparkcommission.com.