1st Newtown Environmental Film Festival Set For Sept. 19

NEWTOWN, PA — Plans are in the works for the first-ever Newtown Environmental Film Festival. The event will be held Thursday, Sept. 19 at the Newtown Theatre and will feature several short environmentally-focused films, a panel of experts, craft beer sampling, light refreshments, and a free native plant raffle.

The festival will kick off at 6:30 p.m. with socializing and beer sampling from Newtown Brewing Company, a member of the Audubon Society’s Brewers for the Delaware River Association.

At 7:30 p.m., several short films will be screened that highlight issues such as the impact of people on bird migration, our connection to the Delaware River, and the importance of native plants in keeping water clean and providing habitat for birds.

Following the film screening, a panel of experts will discuss these issues and how area residents can help protect local resources.

Confirmed panelists include:

• Moderator Beth Brown, Audubon Pennsylvania’s Director of the Delaware River Watershed Program
• Filmmaker Bruce Byker James
• Diane Smith, Director of Education for the Bucks County Audubon Society
• Zack Greenberg, Senior Associate for The Pew Charitable Trusts
• Steve Meserve, Owner of Lewis Fishery in Lambertville.

Newtown Township and Newtown Borough officials will also share news about local efforts to increase the use of native plants. Several attendees will win the native plants that are part of the pop-up native plant garden that has been installed outside the theatre for this event.

The Newtown Environmental Film Festival is co-sponsored by the Newtown Theatre and the Newtown Native Plant Project, an initiative of the Bucks County Audubon Society, Newtown Township Environmental Advisory Council, Newtown Borough, Audubon Pennsylvania, and Newtown volunteers.

Other sponsors include Waitkus Design, Newtown Democrats, Solutions for Daily Living, and Espenshade Nonprofit Consulting LLC.

Tickets for the film festival are available online at TheNewtownTheatre.com or at the box office one hour before to the event for $10.

The Newtown Theatre is located at 120 N. State Street, Newtown.