Kalika Valentine-Erickson/ Winonan

The Winona State University Programming Activities Committee (UPAC) has created events costing under $5, allowing students to enjoy events that are cheap and easy on a college budget.

One of these activities is $3 Movie Night, which takes place at Winona 7 movie theater in downtown Winona.

Kate Edstrom, a student member of UPAC and senior communications arts and literature-teaching major, said $3 Movie Night is “cheap and something fun to do.”

She said the event gives students a chance to see movies when they otherwise would not be able to due to theater prices.

Edstrom said the event “gives them something to do other than go to house parties on Friday and Saturday nights.”

$3 Movie Night started six years ago when UPAC and Joe Reed, the director of the Student Union at Winona State, approached Jason Fremstad, the manager of Winona 7, asking him to work with the school to create the event.

Fremstad said, “It was set up at the time when there were some alcohol related events that took place around campus.”

He continued and said, “Joe Reed and UPAC were trying to come up with some events for students that were an alternative to drinking on the weekends.”

UPAC said they try to hold the event at least three times a year, if not more. They base the timing of the events on the interest of certain movies that will pull in a large crowd.

The last $3 Movie Night, held on Friday, Oct. 3rd, had around 450 attendees.

The theater shows new releases rather than showing movies that have been out of theaters for a while. The last event showed the movies “Gone Girl,” “The Equalizer,” “Maze Runner,” “This is Where I Leave You” and “Annabelle.”

Winona 7 stays open late just for $3 Movie Night.

UPAC workers arrive at the theater around 10:45 p.m., when the last public movie crowds are ushered out. UPAC members then clean the theaters as fast as they can. Doors open for the $3 Movie Night attendees at 11:15 p.m. Show times for the previous event ranged from 11:30 to 11:45 p.m.

The theater opens early so attendees do no have to stand outside and wait for the event to begin.

Edstrom said, “The event usually has a pretty large line of people standing outside to get into the theater.”

Concessions are available from the time the theater opens to students until the time the movies start, sold at regular theater price.

The event is not only beneficial to students, but to the theater as well.

Fremstad said, “Given that for a few of the $3 movie nights, we have had upwards of 600 to 700 students, it’s really a great way to sell more tickets and concessions then we normally would on a Friday night. It’s great for business.”

The next $3 movie night is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 7.

Tickets can be purchased at Winona 7 as early as 3:45 p.m. on the day of the event or at the door prior to the first movie showing, as long as they are not sold out. Movie titles to be shown have yet to be announced.

Buying early may be a good idea since some movies, such as “Catching Fire” and many Marvel movies tend to sell out due to popularity.

“It’s a really popular event. We as UPACers have a lot of fun doing it,” Edstrom said.

A Facebook event for the next $3 Movie Night will be created with movie titles and show times in the future.

The event is only open to Winona State students with a valid student ID, which must be presented for ticket purchase and movie admittance.