When Sault Ste. Marie lost its movie theatre, a huge gap was felt in the Michigan community.
But a partnership between Nicolet Bank and the Downtown business association has re-invigorated the town.
Now in its second year, Family Movie Night is set to start its new season on July 12th, 2024. They will show a family movie at dusk on select Fridays until October 25th.
“Everyone was screaming from the rooftops when we lost our movie theatre. We knew we had to bring something back,” says Jessica Kaunisto, a Retail Mortgage Banker at Nicolet Bank in Sault Ste. Marie.
“We now have Family Fun Nights on the City Hall Lawn, and it was a small way to bring movies and joy back to the community. It brings kids out and people enjoy the downtown. It was a no-brainer.”
Kaunisto says there’s something really refreshing about watching a movie downtown and having a freighter roll through behind you. But the innovation isn’t done yet.
“We are constantly learning and brainstorming. Even two weeks out, we are still coming up with ideas,” she said.
“Nicolet Bank just wants to keep adding to this. It should be more than just a movie – We want full nights of activities for people.”
The bank is there to help people in the community with everything financially. But they’re also hugely invested in giving back.
“We have so many great services for businesses and families, including personal, commercial, mortgage lending and all types of planning support,” she said.
“Giving back is huge to us. Our Co-founder-- who is our CEO – is all about employees making a difference in our communities. It is our job to care about where we are, and take every opportunity to make a difference. Whether it’s donating to causes or holding events, we want to empower the community to become better everywhere we are. We deeply believe in the community bank model and the concept of shared success.”
One event she absolutely loved last year was when The Mighty Ducks played.
“We absolutely love to do throwbacks, and there were high winds that day. We couldn’t do the event outside, so we did it indoors at the rink, where the ice was,” she said.
“The movie was on the Jumbotron, and there was an open skate first. For some of the kids, it was their first time skating. That’s so cool for a hockey town. It was an unbelievable event.”
Reaction last year was great, and she hopes for an even better time during this second season.
“People have been so happy about this. I meet so many new people each time when they come up and thank us. It’s truly humbling,” she said.
They have a list of films this year that includes Kung Fu Panda 4, Barbie, and more.
“The feedback has been great, and there’s been a great response to the movies chosen. It can be hard to pick the line-up, but we are excited about this one,” she said.
“I’m particularly excited to do the first Harry Potter in September for back-to-school. I also can’t wait for The Goonies, which is an absolute classic.”
There are many things that will remain the same – The location and crew putting it on included. But they are looking to improve.
“We want to have more going on each week and do more events. People will have to stay tuned for announcements,” she said.
“We are trying really hard to get food trucks and concessions. We want to grow that as much as we can and fundraise for youth organizations through concessions. Helping the community is huge, but we just want to make sure we can get it done.”
She really wanted to highlight that Nicolet Bank is thankful for the community support.
“We couldn’t do this without the help of the community, the volunteers and our partnership with Downtown Sault Ste. Marie. We feel so happy we could do this for the community,” she said. “We want to specifically add our thanks to Lake Superior State University and The Community Foundation.”
Watch the Downtown Sault Facebook page for more information.
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