EAST MILLINOCKET, Maine — Katahdin region residents tired of traveling to Bangor or Old Town to see a movie can find a showing Sunday that will benefit town volunteer efforts to put on a SummerFest 2012, organizers said Thursday.
The movies “A Warrior’s Heart” and “Paranormal Activity 3” will play at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Sunday at the renovated Town Office auditorium for $5 each. The admission ticket also includes popcorn and a soft drink, said Kim Marston, one of the main organizers of last year’s SummerFest.
Marston and Kelly Willigar have raised about $5,000 of the $8,000 they feel they need to run SummerFest, which is scheduled this year for July 5-8. They find that a mix of family fare and horror movies works best at drawing good crowds, Marston said.
“We first started out with G movies, but that’s not turning out so great. We are finding out that the teenagers like the scary movies,” Marston said Thursday.
This year’s SummerFest is a continuation of an effort last year by Willigar and Marston to put on the annual town celebration. Town leaders said last year’s event, which drew more than 5,000 people, would not have happened without the extraordinary commitment of the two volunteers.
They raised $6,500 on their own to help fund it after town leaders realized that the closure of the Main Street paper mill would deprive them of the $10,000 usually allotted to the event, among many other things. Though the mill is now reopened, it generates far less tax revenue than it once did, so Marston and Willigar will likely seek only $500 to $1,000 for SummerFest this year, Marston said.
The auditorium, which decades ago was the town’s primary theater, is a perfect location for the movies, Marston said. The outdoor movie screen and sound system the volunteers have borrowed from the Katahdin Area Chamber of Commerce for the movie showings fit beautifully within the renovated structure, Marston said.
Film showings like this deepen the community’s sense of togetherness, Marston said.
“If we can get a full balcony every time, that would be worth our while,” Marston said. “It is a beautiful community center and it is a part of the heritage of this town. This is what this building was used for originally years and years ago. And if you don’t have a sense of community, what do you have?”
Isn’t Paranormal Activity rated R? R — Restricted. Children Under 17 Require Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian. Who is checking IDs? I can’t see many parents being interested in sitting through that movie with their kids. Is an adult sitting in the balcony to make sure the kids aren’t doing damage? After spending all that money on the auditorium it would be a shame to have it damaged.
Ok whooooooooooooooooooo the HECK APPROVED SHOWING R RATED MOVIES TO CHILDREN?? How much is it going to cost the town when one of those kids falls off the friggin’ balcony messin’ around??? What were the Selectmen thinking ? Or did they just give one of their wives free reign to show R rated movies to children!!!! Or are you planning on demanding the parents be there so they can watch the movie with them LEGALLY!!! Heck why not just show the movie at the bar so the Selectman can enjoy it too!!! Will the next kids based fundraiser be a dance at the New La Casa??? Come on Clint I at least expected better control from you. The others we’ve grown to accept the fact that their length of service has deteriorated their capacity to reason!
How do you dare to go out on the street in public? Do you actually realize what people are thinking when they see your face? What is your agenda with your comments? You need some help!!!!
Actually the chairman of the board thinks it’s a wonderful idea…..but we would expect hearing nothing but negative opinions from two haters. There have been adults attend these movies because I was there and there are many volunteers and shaperones. Get busy lollipop and come and volunteer for the town. It may be uplifting and rewarding to you! As far as I read in the article no one specified that these movies were for children only? Find something better to do…..most everyone doesn’t put any weight into anything you have to say anyway.
I went to the last movie. Full of kids…wife and I in front row. Charperone up there the whole time. I didn’t see where there was anything to worry about. Stop whining…really!!!
Since when is it my neighbors job to be responsible for my kids? Sounds like some folks don’t know what their kids are up to. uh oh.
My kids watch “Walking Dead”, the Zombie series on AMC. They are in Preschool. These older kids should be all set with what they are showing at the town hall. It’s not hard to figure out that lollipop is really Missy Doyle when she copies her comments from Bangor Daily and paste them onto her facebook wall, or, vice-versa. Alcohol…Bath Salts…REALLY? You make me want to drink every time I read your comments lollipop.