How did Pahrump greet the return of Movies in the Park?

After a brief hiatus following the July 5 shooting at Ian Deutch Memorial Park, Movies in the Park resumed last Saturday and though its return was greeted by a far smaller crowd than usual, there were still roughly four dozen residents who turned out for the evening’s entertainment. Helping to infuse a sense of security into the event, Nye County Sheriff Joe McGill and two sheriff’s deputies were on scene during the movie, something attendees agreed did, in fact, make them feel more comfortable overall.

One such attendee was Misty McGannon, who was accompanied by family and friends for Saturday’s showing of “Captain America: Brave New World”.

“About two or three years ago, we started coming out here doing this and we enjoy it,” McGannon told the Pahrump Valley Times. “It’s the time to spend with your family and your friends and your loved ones and just gather with the community and the town.”

When asked if she harbors any concerns about a potential repeat of violence at the park, she acknowledged that yes, she does, but added, “We have cops patrolling the area and we’ve got parents patrolling the area, so I think we’ll be OK.”

Another audience member at Saturday’s Movies in the Park was Makenna Ray, who moved to the valley with her family in 2018 and has been a regular attendee since.

“This is one of our kids’ favorite things. This is what we look forward to every single Saturday,” Ray enthused. As to the effect of the presence of law enforcement at the event, Ray remarked that it did make her feel a lot safer.

“When there’s this many people in one condensed area, it’s something that we need to think about, that there are going to be issues because there’s just more people,” Sheriff McGill told the Times as the sun set Saturday night. “We need to be more cautious about who’s around and what’s going on.”

McGill said his office was informed that there had been fights at the park during three consecutive weeks prior to the fatal shooting of 22-year-old Joey Perry but unfortunately, that information did not come soon enough.

“That information needs to go to the right places, which in this case it didn’t,” McGill explained. “I found out about it the night of the shooting.”

The impact of the incident on the community psyche was a main reason for McGill and his deputies’ presence Saturday, he noted.

“Now after the incident took place two weeks ago, we need to make sure that the community understands that we are here, that they are safe, that they don’t need to be afraid to come out of their houses and go to the park and have a good time,” McGill stressed. “That’s why we’re here, to be visible tonight and hopefully everybody is going to have a good time. I’m glad to see the number of people that are here and we’re just going to be here to make sure everything stays smooth and easy.”

Entertainment Concepts owner and operator Gary Bouchard, who contracts with the town of Pahrump to put on Movies in the Park, said that the night of the shooting he was busy packing up his gear and wasn’t even aware that there was a problem until he saw deputies arrive on scene. When asked if he had witnessed the incident Bouchard responded, “Oh, God, no. I was over here and they were way over there,” indicating a distance of around 500 feet.

Bouchard said he wasn’t surprised that the town had canceled the Movies in the Park the Saturday after the shooting but he was somewhat surprised that the event had resumed so quickly.

“We didn’t have a movie last week and Tuesday they sent me a email saying we’re going do one this week,” Bouchard remarked. “I thought sure they would maybe wait another weekend, because you see the attendance we have got here, this is not even 10% of what we easily get.”

Bouchard said he felt the low attendance was likely a combination of fear, which the sheriff’s office is doing its best to assuage, and residents simply not knowing the event is back on. However, Movies in the Park is scheduled to continue the remainder of its summer 2025 season, with showings of “Paddington in Peru” on July 26, “A Minecraft Movie” on August 2 and “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” on August 9.

“Residents are invited to bring chairs, blankets and loved ones to enjoy a relaxing night under the starts, filled with connection, fun and fresh air,” the town of Pahrump announced. “As the community comes together once again, the town encourages attendees to help create a welcoming and respectful atmosphere for all. These events are meant to foster togetherness and provide a safe space for families to gather, unwind and enjoy the summer season.”

All Movies in the Park take place at dusk at Ian Deutch Memorial Park, field 4, 1600 Honeysuckle St.

For more information visit https://pahrumpnv.gov/294/Movies-in-the-Park

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com