Just Grand: The Grand Theatre

Located in the heart of Pier Park, The Grand 16 Theatre is a beacon of fun that shines through those rainy beach days. This is the place to find yourself when the flags turn red or after the sun sets.

My first visit to The Grand left my jaw on the floor. With 16 screens The Grand has room for every summer blockbuster and indie flick you could possible want to see, and it just gets better as every screen has digital sound and wall to wall screens. All the theatres have stadium seating so the guy in front of you will never block your view. The only problem is the seats are so comfortable I have fallen asleep more than once.

One of the most important parts of any theatre going experience is the concession stand. At the Grand this is the most difficult part. The old saying “It’s like being a kid in a candy store” is the best way to describe the dilemma I found myself in. They offer the usual popcorn, soda, and boxed candy; and I was not surprised by their addition of hot dogs. What surprised me was when I walked over to the specialty Café and realized I could have pizza, chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks, or French fries. I sprung for the personal pizza with a side of mozzarella sticks, and was not disappointed. The pizza was cooked to perfection in a brick oven, and to top it off was hand delivered to my theatre by the café attendant. You also get a free refill on any large popcorn or drink, and there are multiple combos to save you some money.

The tickets start at $9.50, and they offer matinee (all shows before six pm $7.00), military, college student ($8.00), child, and senior citizen ($7.00) discounts. They require an ID for the military and college student discounts so don’t leave them in the car like I did. Every Tuesday is Super Saver Tuesday and the ticket prices drop even lower to six dollars all day. The Grand also houses two state-of-the-art digital projectors with which they can show Real D 3D movies and Concert movies (there is a three dollar charge for 3D movies).

Also, The Grand is running the Summer Kids Flicks every Tuesday and Wednesday.  The box office will open at 9:30 am with the film beginning at 10 am, and tickets are only $3, which includes a small box of popcorn and a child-sized soda.

Summer Kids Flicks Schedule:

• June 2–3            Surf’s Up
• June 9–10          The Tale of Despereaux
• June 16–17        Alvin and the Chipmunks
• June 23–24        Horton Hears a Who!
• June 30–July 1   Bee Movie
• July 7–8            Charlotte’s Web
• July 14–15         Kung Fu Panda
• July 21–22         Over the Hedge
• July 28–29         Shark Tale
• August 4–5        SpongeBob SquarePants

If your child’s birthday is coming up The Grand can help. They offer party packages that take care of almost everything. All you have to do is provide the cake and presents, and The Grand will provide the party room, reserved seats in your choice of movie, and some tokens to their game room. Church groups, school groups, or any other private party are also welcome, and can even receive discounted rates. For more information you can call 850-233-4835.

One of the best parts of The Grand is its location in Pier Park. This means it is only minutes from some of the best shops and restaurants on the beach. So if you miss a show time or are waiting on family in another movie there is always something to do.

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