On Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 September 2026, cinemas across the UK will come together for National Cinema Weekend, a two-day celebration of cinema and the unique joy of the big-screen experience.
Cross-industry body Cinema First is delighted to announce that following the success of previous National Cinema Days, the event will return in 2026 with a new name, an expanded two-day format and a renewed focus on everything that makes visiting the cinema so special.
National Cinema Day was first launched by Cinema First in 2022 and proved an immediate success, achieving 1.46 million admissions in a single day. This grew to 1.56 million admissions in 2023, demonstrating the huge appetite among UK audiences for a shared celebration of cinemagoing.
This year, National Cinema Weekend will invite audiences across the country to come together and discover the joy of cinema: the big screen, immersive sound, shared emotions and the simple pleasure of experiencing a great story together.
Phil Clapp, Chief Executive of the UK Cinema Association and Director of Cinema First looked forward to the weekend event with enthusiasm:
“Following the success of National Cinema Day, we’re excited to be extending the celebration to the entire weekend, giving cinemagoers greater flexibility to plan their visits, and the opportunity to watch the widest possible range of films, suiting all tastes.
We’re delighted to see so many cinemas getting behind National Cinema Weekend and look forward to welcoming audiences across the country on the 5th and 6th September.”
Over 530 UK cinemas have already confirmed their participation, with many more expected to join in the coming days. Participating cinemas are ready to offer a broad and varied programme with something for everyone. From major releases and family favourites to independent films and much-loved classics, audiences will have even more reasons to come together and enjoy films as they were made to be seen.
What’s more, to address the changing customer behaviours in film and cinema discovery, Cinema First has partnered with marketing technology provider CineOS to develop an intuitive online hub cinemaweekender.com which is designed to help cinema-goers explore the NCW offering and find film showtimes at their local participating cinemas, allowing audiences to make the most of National Cinema Weekend.
National Cinema Weekend is a celebration of the cinema experience itself:switching off from the outside world, settling into your seat, sharing the laughs, the gasps and the tears is a big part of the cinema experience, so grab your tickets and your popcorn and start thinking about who you would take.
Further information on National Cinema Weekend, and details on those UK cinema sites participating, can be found at www:cinemaweekender.com
