The Wild & Scenic Film Festival is Coming to Bellows Falls on May 8th, Hosted by the Connecticut River Conservancy

[Brattleboro, VT, April 17th, 2025] The Connecticut River Conservancy is excited to host our inaugural Wild & Scenic Film Festival at the Bellows Falls Opera House on Thursday, May 8th.

The tour event will feature a range of river-focused environmental films from across the globe. Two films were made in our watershed. Rivers Cannot Defend Themselves details past river advocacy in the Connecticut River watershed as told by David Sinish, one of the principal activists involved in procuring the Farmington River’s Partnership Wild and Scenic River designation. Reconnected: Restoring the Rivers of Long Island Sound illustrates present-day restoration and advocacy in a short-form documentary featuring CRC’s River Restoration Network partners. Many other films highlight inspiring stories of resilience, research, and community. In addition to the films, the event will include speakers and raffle prizes.

"We are thrilled to bring the Wild & Scenic Film Festival to our watershed,” says Kathy Urffer, Director of Policy and Advocacy and Vermont River Steward, “it’s a great opportunity to bring our community together and feel inspired by our natural world and the work being done for cleaner, healthier rivers in and beyond our watershed.” 

The festival is a natural extension of CRC’s work to restore and advocate for clean water, healthy habitats, and resilient communities to support a diverse and thriving watershed. CRC is hosting the Wild & Scenic Film Festival event in hopes that attendees will leave with a renewed interest in the natural world just as spring begins to bloom.

Local area sponsors for the event include the Savings Bank of Walpole, 802 Credit Union, Chroma, Lawson’s Finest Liquors, and many others listed on the event page here.

The Connecticut River Conservancy is looking forward to seeing you at the Wild & Scenic Film Festival!

EVENT DETAILS:

Date: Thursday, May 8th, 2025

Time: Doors open at 6:30pm and films start at 7:00pm 

Ticket Prices: $10 for children, $12 for adults, $15 at the door

Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door. For more information, visit www.ctriver.org/wild-scenic-films.   

Earlier on the same day and  in Bellows Falls, CRC will host a tree-planting ceremony in celebration of the 100,000th tree planted in the Connecticut River watershed. This planting will take place next to the Saxtons River, where the organization implemented a river restoration project in partnership with the Vermont River Conservancy last year. Guests are welcome to attend both events, with more information about the tree planting event here.