Looking to avoid the chaos of downtown during Memorial Day Weekend? Join Nantucket Community Television for an evening of celebration and change at the Sconset Casino for their signature event LUNAFEST® on May 27, 2023.
LUNAFEST was created in 2001 as the world’s first all-women traveling film festival. For the past 22 years, LUNAFEST has elevated a powerful and diverse set of women filmmakers and shone a spotlight on stories that bring us closer together and make us see our own world differently.
Originally hosted by the Theatre Workshop of Nantucket, NCTV took over hosting the festival in 2020, but it came with its share of challenges. NCTV’s first LUNAFEST was canceled due to the pandemic, and returned in 2021 in a much more subdued fashion due to lingering COVID concerns. 2022 was the first year that NCTV was able to bring the festival back in full force at the Sconset Casino.
“Last year was a huge learning curve for us,” said Catie O’Connor, who will be co-chairing the event this year beside NCTV executive director Lisa Getter. “It makes me even more excited for this year’s LUNA because we’re able to take all the feedback and experience from last year and apply it to this year’s fest. Lemon Press is coming back even bigger and better for catering, and Velo Vodka, who sponsored us last year, is bringing in representatives to pour this year’s signature cocktail.”
This year’s LUNAFEST features seven short films made by women and gender non-conforming individuals (90 minute runtime). Attendees will also enjoy a cocktail hour featuring music by DJ Scott Capizzo, photo booth by Zofia & Co., and a silent auction in support of NCTV’s youth education programs. There will also be two prizes raffled off at the event – a Dine Around the Isle package and a sunset cruise on the Tall Ship Lynx.
Nantucket Community Television’s mission is to engage Nantucket by connecting stories to audiences, government to citizens, and students to hands-on learning. As the island’s Media Arts Center, Nantucket Community Television provides critical production support to local nonprofits, businesses, and the Town of Nantucket. Their original programs celebrate the unique people, art, history, and culture of the island. NCTV aims to inspire creativity and to give all Nantucketers a voice.
LUNAFEST returns to the Sconset Casino on Saturday, May 27 at 5:30 pm. At time of posting this blog, tickets are still available for $100. They can be purchased at: https://www.betterunite.com/nctv-lunafest2023
Can’t make the event? You can still support NCTV by participating in their online silent auction. Visit the ticketing website to register. The silent auction goes live at 10 am on May 22nd and will end on May 31st at 6 pm. Proceeds support NCTV’s youth education programs.
For more information about LUNAFEST or NCTV, email info@nctv18.org or call 508-901-5499.