Havering's free Upminster Windmill screenings ran on 29 August 2026 and nothing has replaced them. What was on, and the nearest outdoor cinema still to come.
Update, 11 September 2026: this event has happened, and there is still no second date. The three screenings ran on Saturday 29 August. Havering Council’s ticket page for resident events, run by Moonbeamers, still read “There are no upcoming Events at this time” when we checked on 11 September, so nothing further has been announced for the borough. The outdoor cinema still bookable within reach of Upminster, which now includes four Halloween drive-in screenings on 23 and 24 October, is at the foot of this page. The rest of this report is the record of the day, including the rules that will apply again if the council repeats it.
Three films will be screened free of charge in the grounds of Upminster Windmill on Saturday 29 August, and if you want a place you need to book now, because tickets are capped at one screening per household and issued first come, first served. Havering Council announced the day on 13 August, calling it a council first, with the three films shown on a large LED screen alongside a music quiz, karaoke and a live music set. (Havering Council, 13 August 2026)
The venue is the Grade II listed windmill at 89 St Mary’s Lane, Upminster, RM14 2QL, and tickets are handled through Moonbeamers, the operator running the event for the council. (Havering Residents Events, Moonbeamers)
The three screenings, and what time to turn up
The council’s programme runs from early afternoon to late evening, and each screening has its own gates time and its own ticket allocation. That matters, because the household limit applies across the whole day: book one screening and you are not meant to book another.
- GOAT (PG), 1pm to 2.45pm. Gates open 12.15pm. Tickets limited to two adults and four children per booking. (Moonbeamers)
- Interactive music quiz and karaoke, 4.15pm to 4.45pm, then The Devil Wears Prada 2 (12A), 4.45pm to about 6.45pm. Gates open 3.45pm. Tickets limited to two adults and two children. The quiz is optional and answered on your phone. (Moonbeamers)
- Live music from 7.55pm, then Michael (12A), 8.45pm to about 10.50pm. Gates open 7.15pm. Tickets limited to two adults and two children. (Moonbeamers)
The films are shown on a 5m LED screen rather than a projector, which is why afternoon screenings are possible at all: a conventional outdoor projection would not read in daylight.
The rules worth knowing before you book
The council states that tickets are limited to one film per household and issued on a first come basis. The booking pages go further and say the council reserves the right to cancel duplicate bookings identified through address, postcode or contact information checks, so booking twice under different names is likely to cost you both places rather than gain you one.
Other conditions listed by the operator: the event is non-smoking, no glass is permitted, and under-18s will not be admitted unless accompanied by an adult. A bar will be open for over-18s operating a Challenge 25 policy, so bring ID if you look under 25. Food stalls will be on site and portaloos will be available throughout.
There is no seating. Bring a blanket or a low-backed chair.
Parking is the catch
There is no parking on the windmill grounds. The operator asks people to walk or use one of the nearby car parks where possible, and to be considerate to neighbours if parking on surrounding roads.
That is worth planning around, because 89 St Mary’s Lane is a residential stretch and three screenings in one day means three separate arrivals and departures. Upminster station is served by the District line, the Elizabeth line and c2c, which makes the train a realistic option for the evening screening in particular, when the film does not finish until close to 11pm.
The event is funded through sponsorship rather than the council’s own budget: Elm Site Services is main sponsor and Aesthetics of Essex is co-sponsor, and Councillor Keith Prince AM, Leader of Havering Council, said in the announcement that “this event is only possible due to the generous support of our sponsors.”
What it means for you
If you want to go, book today rather than nearer the date. Three screenings with per-booking caps of two adults and up to four children is a small number of places for a borough of Havering’s size, and the council has said explicitly that they go on a first come basis.
Decide which screening you actually want before you book, because the one-per-household rule means you get one shot. The 1pm GOAT screening is the one pitched at younger children and has the larger child allocation; the 8.45pm Michael screening is the late one, finishing close to 11pm, and is a poor fit for small children whatever the certificate.
Then work out how you are getting there. No on-site parking means either a walk, a nearby car park, or the train, and if you are driving over from Romford or Hornchurch it is worth checking our Romford roadworks and travel page before you set off. For more free things to do across the borough this summer, see our guide to things to do in Romford.
Tickets are on the council’s Havering Residents Events page.
Outdoor cinema near Upminster: what is still on
Checked on the operator’s own ticket pages on 11 September 2026.
Nothing free in Havering. The Havering Residents Events page carries no upcoming dates at all. The 29 August day was billed by the council as a first, and it was paid for by sponsorship rather than the council’s budget, so whether it returns depends on Elm Site Services and Aesthetics of Essex signing up again rather than on a budget line.
The nearest outdoor cinema still to come is a drive-in in Billericay. The same operator has two screenings on Saturday 26 September 2026 at Barleylands Road, Billericay, CM11 2UD:
- The Devil Wears Prada 2, from 7.15pm
- Obsession (2026), from 9.30pm
These are drive-ins, not picnic screenings, and unlike the Windmill day they are ticketed at a price rather than free. Billericay is about 40 minutes by road from Upminster and there is no useful train for a drive-in.
Four Halloween drive-ins have since been added, at the same Barleylands Road site (Moonbeamers, all tickets):
- Friday 23 October 2026: The Lost Boys (1987) from 7pm, then Tucker and Dale Vs Evil from 9.15pm
- Saturday 24 October 2026: Monster House, the animated family choice, from 6.15pm, then Weapons from 8.45pm
If you have young children, the 6.15pm Monster House screening on 24 October is the only one of the six pitched at families. The operator’s family silent disco in Rayleigh on 5 September, listed here earlier, has now taken place.
If Havering does run another windmill day, the pattern to expect from this one is: announced about two weeks ahead, tickets free but capped at one screening per household, allocations of two adults and two to four children, no on-site parking, and duplicate bookings cancelled after address and postcode checks. Booking on the day of the announcement rather than nearer the date is the whole game.
Frequently asked questions
Is there another outdoor cinema at Upminster Windmill?
Not yet. When we checked on 11 September 2026, Havering Council’s resident events page run by Moonbeamers listed no upcoming events, and the council has not announced a second windmill date.
Was the Upminster outdoor cinema free?
Yes. The 29 August screenings were free for Havering residents, limited to one film per household, and paid for by the sponsors Elm Site Services and Aesthetics of Essex rather than from the council’s budget.
Where is the nearest outdoor cinema to Upminster now?
The Moonbeamers drive-in at Barleylands Road, Billericay, CM11 2UD: two films on Saturday 26 September, then four Halloween screenings on 23 and 24 October. These are paid drive-ins, not free picnic screenings.
Where exactly was the Upminster Windmill cinema held?
In the grounds of Upminster Windmill, 89 St Mary’s Lane, Upminster, RM14 2QL. There is no parking on site; Upminster station, on the District line, Elizabeth line and c2c, is the easiest way in.
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