Cinemark and Lowe’s Build Upon Fan-Favorite Bring Your Own Bucket Event With Two-Day National Popcorn Day Celebration in U.S. Theaters

PLANO, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 2, 2026--

Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK), one of the largest and most influential theatrical exhibition companies in the world, is building on last year’s viral National Popcorn Day event by teaming up with Lowe’s for a two-day Bring Your Own Bucket celebration on Jan. 18 and 19 (National Popcorn Day), inviting guests to bring in their own container to fill with up to 400 ounces of popcorn for just $5. With social sweepstakes, discounts on gift cards and special beverages, plus $5 all size popcorns for those without their own bucket, this year’s celebration will be the ultimate experience for popcorn lovers across Cinemark’s more than 300 U.S. theaters. Full details are available at Cinemark.com/popcornday.

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“Last year’s Bring Your Own Bucket event for National Popcorn Day reimagined what this holiday could be for all movie-popcorn lovers, as people showed incredible creativity with their vessels and made the celebration truly unforgettable for both guests and our theater teams,” said Wanda Gierhart Fearing, Cinemark Chief Marketing and Content Officer. “This year, we are thrilled to build on that fun by teaming up with Lowe’s to make the experience even bigger and better. With two full days of festivities as well as special sweepstakes and promotions, we cannot wait to see how much this year’s celebration will heat up.”

BYOBucket – The Sequel
After a cinematic meet-cute on social media during the inaugural Bring Your Own Bucket event last year, Cinemark and Lowe’s are teaming up to take this year’s National Popcorn Day to the next level. On Sunday, Jan. 18, and Monday, Jan. 19, guests can bring any type of container – whether it’s a film-themed collectible, or an iconic blue Lowe’s 5-gallon bucket – and it will be filled with up to 400 ounces of craveable popcorn for just $5 plus tax. That is the equivalent of two XL popcorns at the concession stand. Those who bring the beloved Lowe’s buckets, available for purchase at Lowe’s stores and on Lowes.com, are exempt from the 400-ounce rule and are eligible to have their entire 5-gallon bucket filled. Food-grade bucket liners will be available upon request, and guests with the iconic Lowe’s buckets will also receive a special coupon for future popcorn cravings valid Feb. 1 through Feb. 26.

“Helpfulness is at the heart of the Lowe’s brand, and it shows up in the everyday moments customers share with family and friends — even a night at the movies,” said Jen Wilson, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Lowe’s. “Our iconic blue bucket brings utility and delight wherever it goes, including the theater. Teaming up with Cinemark is a fun, simple way to give families even more value from something they already rely on throughout the year.”

Those searching for a cinematic keepsake to commemorate the holiday will find an array of unique, attention-grabbing buckets on shop.cinemark.com. Everyone is encouraged to showcase their bucket style by tagging @Cinemark on social channels. No bucket? No problem! All sizes of Cinemark popcorn will be just $5 plus tax at all U.S. theaters for both days.

“At Cinemark, popcorn is more than just a snack, it is the star of the show,” said David Haywood, Cinemark SVP of Food and Beverage. “Last year, Cinemark theaters sold nearly 5 billion ounces of our craveable popcorn. We start with the highest-quality kernels and pop them to perfection for that irresistible crunch and flavor. On National Popcorn Day, we are celebrating the gold standard that makes every magical movie moment pop.”

While guests do not have to have a movie ticket to participate, nothing pairs better with popcorn than a captivating story unfolding on a larger-than-life screen. Visit Cinemark.com or the Cinemark app for showtimes.

Snack on Sweepstakes and Promotions
Cinemark is extending the celebration of the golden snack beyond just buckets.

From Jan. 2 through Jan. 19, everyone can test their kernel-catching skills with an online popcorn bucket fill up game at Cinemark.com/popcornday, for the chance to win free popcorn for a year. Then on Jan. 19 only, all who follow Cinemark’s official Instagram account (@Cinemark) and tag three friends in the comments of the National Popcorn Day sweepstakes post will be entered to win a free large popcorn.

Cinemark Movie Rewards members can express their love for the cinematic treat by entering a sweepstakes to win 10,000 points, which can be redeemed for golden movie tickets and heaps of delicious snacks. Members should check the rewards center for more information.

All online gift card orders will be 10 percent off on both Jan. 18 and 19, so popcorn lovers can stock up and savor every bucket for the blockbuster moments ahead.

For those that prefer their butter in drinkable form, Butter Chardonnay will be available in close to 190 Cinemark locations throughout the entire month of January.

The Cinemark Experience
Cinemark’s commitment to delivering a preeminent out-of-home entertainment experience comes to fruition through continual investment in its theaters and customer journey.

For full details about the Cinemark moviegoing experience, visit Cinemark.com or download the Cinemark app. Click HERE for general Cinemark images and b-roll.  

About Cinemark Holdings, Inc.
Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK) provides extraordinary out-of-home entertainment experiences as one of the largest and most influential theatrical exhibition companies in the world. Based in Plano, Texas, Cinemark makes every day cinematic for moviegoers across nearly 500 theaters and more than 5,500 screens, operating in 42 states in the U.S. (304 theaters; 4,249 screens) and 13 South and Central American countries (193 theaters; 1,395 screens). Cinemark offers guests superior sight and sound technology, including Barco laser projection and Cinemark XD, the world’s No. 1 exhibitor-branded premium large format; industry-leading penetration of upscale amenities such as expanded food and beverage offerings, Luxury Lounger recliners and D-BOX motion seats; top-notch guest service; and award-winning loyalty programs such as Cinemark Movie Club. All of this creates an immersive environment for a shared, entertaining escape, underscoring that there is no place more cinematic than Cinemark. For more information, visit https://ir.cinemark.com.

About Lowe’s
Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is a FORTUNE® 100 home improvement company serving approximately 16 million customer transactions a week, with total fiscal year 2024 sales of more than $83 billion. Lowe’s employs approximately 300,000 associates and operates over 1,700 home improvement stores, 530 branches and 130 distribution centers. Based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe’s supports the communities it serves through programs focused on creating safe, affordable housing, improving community spaces, helping to develop the next generation of skilled trade experts and providing disaster relief to communities in need. For more information, visit Lowes.com.

Cinemark expands Bring Your Own Bucket National Popcorn Celebration to two days Jan. 18 & 19.

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) — The bunched leaderboard, the inability to pull away, the momentum changing with virtually every shot.

Yes, if the U.S. Open plays out Sunday like it did in the third round, then the race for second place will be a nailbiter.

Three players whose names will drive Google searches galore for casual golf fans — Tom Kim, Sam Stevens and Sahith Theegala — found themselves tied with a bigger name, Scottie Scheffler, in a four-way logjam for second with 18 holes to play at Shinnecock.

They all finished Saturday trailing leader Wyndham Clark by six shots.

"As you can see, it’s kind of a jumbled leaderboard," Kim said, “except for where the leader is.”

For the record, a six-shot rally would be one less than the biggest final-round comeback in U.S. Open history. That belongs to Arnold Palmer, back in 1960 at Cherry Hills.

Even if they had resumes approaching Palmer's, the odds would be stacked against these three dreamers. Turns out, they don't.

Kim, Stevens and Theegala have a total of one top-5 finish in majors between them. All in their 20s and looking for a breakthrough, they have a total of 39 starts in majors between them, dating to 2020.

They will play in groups ahead of Scheffler, whose early round of 69 left him in that jumble at 1-under 209 and gave him the last, and featured, tee time with Clark on Sunday.

The other three know they have quite a hill to climb. If Clark falters or Shinnecock Hills rises up — now less likely with the wind expected to calm down — then Scheffler figures to be the best bet to scoop up the trophy and wrap up the career Grand Slam.

“So much of it kind of depends on what Wyndham does,” Stevens said. “I could play a great round tomorrow and shoot 3- or 4-under and still lose by seven.”

But, stranger things have happened.

“There's a disaster waiting to happen on every hole,” Theegala said. “So you just have to be patient.”

A quick look at the group in second place:

At Pepperdine, became only the fifth player in the last 30 years to win the three biggest awards for college players: The Fred Haskins, Ben Hogan and Jack Nicklaus Awards.

But Theegala became a bigger name when he appeared on the Netflix series “Full Swing,” which takes an inside look at players on the PGA Tour. He was still living at home when he made it to the tour, and things like doing his laundry felt new.

Theegala's best major finish was ninth place at the 2023 Masters. His lone win on tour was at 2023 at the Fortinet Championship.

Quotable: “There’s a lot of danger involved in pushing it a little bit, but you do have opportunities to kind of make a push at the end there.”

Kim became a lightning rod for his fiery appearances at the Presidents Cup in 2022 and 2024. There was friction because of the fist-pumping antics he pulled and some difference of opinion over who, if anyone, crossed the line when he teamed with Si Woo Kim in a match against Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay.

Kim also made a splash when he waded into a swamp looking for an errant tee shot at the 2023 PGA at Oak Hill. He came out a muddy mess and had to dip into a stream to clean up — a viral moment that he explained by saying: "I mean it’s a major championship. I’m fighting for every single stroke I have.”

Kim finished in a tie for second at the 2023 British Open, though he shot a 67 to pull into that tie and was still six shots behind winner Brian Harman in a major as lopsided as this one is shaping up to be.

Quotable: “I think you’ve just got to look at it as you’ve got to kind of do your own thing. You can’t really force a lot of things out here. You’ve got to keep staying patient, and that’s what I’m going to do.”

A father of four, Stevens is the third generation of a golf family with deep roots in Kansas and across the Midwest.

His grandfather, Johnny “Slim” Stevens, made more than two dozen starts on the PGA Tour in the 1960s and played in the 1969 U,S. Open. His father, Charlie, played college golf at Oklahoma, had a brief stop on the Korn Ferry Tour and won the Kansas Amateur in 2010.

He has made more than $10 million on the PGA Tour but has yet to post his first win. Asked earlier in the week about his surge at Shinnecock, he said a good conversation with his wife, Kelsey, helped him rediscocver his perspective.

“I’m only 29,” he said, “so I probably don’t need to be bitter about things quite yet.”

Quotable: “You don’t normally shoot a low number trying to shoot a low number. You kind of shoot a low number just because it happens.”

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Tom Kim, of South Korea, watches his tee shot on the 17th hole during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y., Saturday, June 20, 2026.(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Sam Stevens watches his tee shot on the 17th hole during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y., Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Sahith Theegala reacts after missing a putt on the fourth hole during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y., Saturday, June 20, 2026.(AP Photo/George Walker IV)