The Big Picture Theater, Waitsfield, kicks off its membership drive on October 4 with a STEM fair as well as information about a member screening of a documentary by award-winning filmmaker and theater co-owner Eugene Jarecki on October 11. Both events highlight a renewed push to establish the theater as a year-round cultural and community hub in the Mad River Valley, supported by community members.
“This is a really special screening for our members,” said theater co-owner Claudia Becker. “It’s not yet available to the public, and it’s the kind of meaningful, shared experience we want to offer our community.”
The screening, featuring Jarecki’s latest work, an award-winning film that premiered at Cannes and won a Golden Globe, takes place one week after the theater officially kicks off its fall membership drive. That campaign begins October 4 with a family-friendly STEM Fair hosted in partnership with the ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain.
The STEM Fair will feature interactive science and technology activities for children and families, and will mark the first large-scale daytime event at the theater tailored specifically to youth audiences. It is open to the public.
“We’re building out programming that speaks to all ages,” said Alex Harvey, president of the Bigger Picture Board. “The STEM Fair is our first major family-focused event, and it really symbolizes where we’re heading as an organization –community-centered, inclusive, and active all year long.”
“We’ve had incredible support from our founders to reopen and bring in some major events,” Harvey said. “Now we’re inviting the broader community to invest in this space and help us shape what comes next.”
Memberships come with a wide range of benefits, including free or discounted tickets to movies, dance parties, lectures, and member events like the Jarecki film screening.
“Our calendar is packed,” said Ramsey Brown, the theater’s programming co-director. “We’re averaging nearly two special events per week through the fall, ranging from film clubs and live music to pop-up dinners and classes.”
The theater will host regular weekend matinees for children, free to members, and family holiday events including pumpkin carving, costume contests, and singalongs.
“In the summer, there are plenty of outdoor places for kids to play,” Becker said. “But in the winter, options are limited. We want to be a warm, welcoming space for families to gather, learn, and have fun.”
Looking ahead, Harvey said the organization is working on establishing a sustaining membership program in early 2025 to create long-term financial stability.
For more information visit bigpicturetheater.info.
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