Phyllis Ouellette, with help from Brian Keene, prepare to load Saturday’s outdoor movie for community members in Canton.
Kilee Lewis, front, and Lily Korhonen, decked out in their pajamas, get ready to watch “The Secret Life of Pets” in Canton on Saturday evening. They came with Tonia Robertson, left, and Dione Skidgell.
Brooke Knox models pajamas depicting characters in the movie she was about to watch outside in Canton on Saturday night.
Town Clerk Kathy Walker, right, serves Phyllis Ouellette and some young moviegoers at the free showing of “The Secret Life of Pets” in Canton on Sunday. Canton town officials prepared and sold food from the Pirates Galley to raise the money to cover the cost of showing Saturday’s movie, which was free to the community. 
More than 80 people attended the free viewing of “The Secret Life of Pets” on the Canton ball field on Saturday evening.
CANTON — Dozens of families, armed with lawn chairs, blankets, flashlights and bug spray, walked onto the ball field Saturday evening to attend a free outdoor viewing of “The Secret Life of Pets.”
A white tarp draped over the backstop beyond home plate served as a screen for the motion picture.
Phyllis Ouellette, members of the Canton Recreation Department, coordinated the event.
“Lots of families come to these,” she said. “That’s what it’s all about.”
Ouellette said this is the third year they’ve offered the outdoor summer movies. Next month’s showing will be “Moana,” and “Sing” will be shown in August.
“The kids actually vote for what movie they’d like to see over Facebook at Canton Maine Rec,” she said.
While the movies are free to the community, they are not free for the right to show them.
Ouellette said the licensing fee to show the movie for one day was $385.
“And they’re rigid on when you can show movies,” she said.
Ouellette said they are able to pay to show these movies because not only are they popular — about 200 people watched a “Star Wars” film — but attendees come hungry and purchase food from the Snack Shack, a.k.a. Pirates Galley, which opened more than two hours before the movie started.
The proceeds from the Snack Shack cover the movie fee, she said.
Town Administrator Scotty Kilbreth, Town Clerk Kathy Walker, and Selectmen Rob Walker, Brian Keene and Carole Robbins prepared and served the refreshments.
Though they are in close quarters, “we work well together,” Walker said.
Kilbreth said that they produce the best chicken fingers around.
Many people arrived early to the event and several children enjoyed the nearby playground while waiting for the movie.
Paul Moisan of the Canton Volunteer Fire Department provided a special treat — styrofoam gliders, which proved popular with the young moviegoers.
Attending for the first time were Tonia Robertson and Dione Skidgell, who brought children Kilee Lewis and Lily Korhonen, clad in their pajamas.
“This is fantastic,” Robertson said. “One of the reasons we live in a small town.”
When asked why the children were wearing pajamas, Robertson responded, “Why not? It’ll be late for them when we get home and I’ll be carrying my granddaughter right to bed.”
Another child, Brooke Knox, wore pajamas that depicted the characters of the movie she was about to watch.
The Recreation Department also has other events during the year, including a town fair in the fall, a kids’ night out on New Year’s Eve followed by fireworks, and an event to introduce kids to fishing during the state’s annual free fishing day in February.
“This is all for the kids,” Ouellette said.