On tiptoes, with his arms flung wide, DJ Austin Dailey of Red Supreme Productions faced a fading orange glow slipping below the horizon. From his spot on stage, the dozens of young children awash in sunset hues could easily see him and follow his moves. Mr Dailey led children and some parents through an hour's worth of music and dance, while around them more than 200 people filled the Fairfield Hills lawn with folding chairs and blankets, waiting for the movie Zootopia to fill a large inflatable screen at 8:30 pm Tuesday evening. The screening of the animated Disney film an animal metropolis was offered free of charge.Zootopia already, but came out for the night. And despite seeing several other friends, they decided to stay put with their pizza.

This first-time outdoor movie event was a joint collaboration between Newtown Parks & Recreation and Newtown Prevention Council. Ferris Acres sold ice cream - running out of 240 prescooped ice cream cups before the movie started.

Newtown Youth & Family Services/FUSION also sold refreshments, and the Newtown Chamber of Commerce sold popcorn and candy. Playing with children near the chamber booth was a volunteer dressed as the Newtown rooster mascot, which looked suspiciously like a chicken costume.

"The crowd was incredible and we marveled at how attentive the crowd was during the movie, given the attendance," said kids' concert series organizer Erin Masotta. Organizers were pleased with this inaugural event, she said.

Recreation Director Amy Mangold arrived to see the large crowd bustling on the lawn as children played, teenagers snacked on pizza, and parents used their phones to photograph their children.

"It's a beautiful night and the crowd is wonderful," she said.

On the fringes, where he and friends found space open on the lawn, Sal Aversano tossed a football high in the air.

Families spread their blankets while a steady parade of parents carrying lawn chairs continued to arrive in the hour prior to the movie's start. Lifting the lid on a large pizza box, Sophia Forlenzo chose one gooey slice while she shared dinner with her friend Anatoli Chatzikonstantinou. The two teens had seen

His voice reaching across the lawn from his corner beside the screen, DJ Dailey asked, "Who's got all the moves?" as he danced and encouraged his young audience along. One father, Joe Taylor, lifted his daughter Violet onto his shoulders while son Max watched the DJ. Mr Taylor was confident that Violet would get out to dance once she was back on the ground.

Soon Mr Dailey played a new song saying, "It wouldn't be a dance party without this," and a Michael Jackson song filled the air. Mimicking the King of Pop, Mr Dailey pulled on one white, sparkling glove and imitated the late performer's dance moves.

Kicking soccer balls back and forth, another group of children raced around a section of the lawn as Pat Benatar's voice flowed from the speakers about how much she loved rock and roll.

As 8:30 pm neared, the rows of lawn chairs grew longer. Already dressed in her pink and white pajamas was Jocelyn Schwartz, clutching her favorite stuffed animal. She, like many others, was eager for the Disney film to start.

Behind her, and finding their own space in the sea of blankets and chairs, were friends Simone Paradis and Carolyn Wolf, surrounded by the many others who settled down to watch the movie under a late summer night's sky.