A traveling science fair comes to the Big Picture Theater and Café early next month when the Big Pic and Echo Leahy Center host the Mad River Valley STEM festival.
The event takes place Saturday, October 4, and includes the launch of the Big Pic’s community-wide membership drive.
In partnership with the ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, the free, family-friendly event will run from 1 to 3 p.m., transforming the theater’s Red Room and outdoor spaces into a hands-on science playground for all ages. Activities include air rocket launches, LEGO gravity racers, wind-powered machines, electrical circuit stations, and more.
“This is about joyful, shared learning,” said Ramsey Brown, events co-manager for the Big Picture. “The ECHO team brings something magical. It’s a rare chance to experience these interactive exhibits right here in The Valley – and as the parent of a 3-year-old, I say ‘no don’t touch all the time. This event allows parents to say ‘yes’ to touching, building, and exploring.”
The STEM event also marks the official kickoff of the Big Picture Community Hub for the Arts’ membership campaign.
“We’re trying to create something that doesn’t just serve families, but that really belongs to the community,” said Alexandra Harvey, one of the leaders of the new nonprofit. “Especially in the winter, when options are limited for kids and parents alike, we want to be a warm, welcoming, creative space.”
“We’re building this together,” said Claudia Becker, who previously co-owned the Big Picture with Eugene Jarecki and is now helping steward the transition to nonprofit management. “This has always been more than a movie theater – it’s where people meet, celebrate, mourn, and make memories. Without the support of the community, it goes away.”
The STEM Festival, Harvey said, is just the beginning. The nonprofit’s calendar for fall includes film screenings, dance parties, pop-up dinners, classes, a new film club, and a local screening of a Cannes Film Festival award-winning documentary on October 11. That will be a special showing for members.
Memberships begin at $75 for youth under 30, with individual memberships at $200, family or couple memberships at $350, and business sponsorships also available. Founding support has already come from a small group of founding members, donors, and local businesses, but organizers say broader community buy-in is essential.
Becker and Kevin McMillion are reviving the Big Picture Café and restaurant, which is slated to reopen in the second half of October. Before the official opening, the space will host a members-only dinner party – one of incentives designed to grow and retain a sustainable membership base.
“Our goal is to reach 300 members,” Harvey said.
For more information or to become a member, visit bigpicturetheater.info. Memberships include perks like free movie tickets, members-only events, and early access to special programming. Also available on the website is a sign-up button to subscribe to the Big Picture’s weekly newsletter.
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