The Fresh Coast Film Festival is the first of its kind: a documentary film festival celebrating the outdoor lifestyle, water-rich environment and resilient spirit of the Great Lakes and Upper Midwest. The festival will gather the best in environmental and cultural filmmaking from around the world while creating a venue for, and building a culture of, Great Lakes storytelling.

How to Fresh Coast

Fresh Coast can be a little overwhelming, so here are some thoughts on how to get the most out of the festival.

1. Purchase a weekend or day pass or student weekend pass online. You can do so here. It is huge help to us to process our sales through the site. This way you can sign up for a FREE outdoor tour as well. Thanks in advance!
2. Still on the fence? Check out the Fresh Coast Free kickoff and Food Truck Rally Thursday Oct 19 under the big tent at the Marquette Commons. Then purchase a weekend or day pass at our headquarters The Delft Bistro. If you preregistered (thank you!) the HQ is also where you’ll pick up your wristband, program and find FCFF merchandise for sale.

Now it’s time to Fresh Coast

So let’s just get this out of the way: You won’t be able to see everything. We planned it that way, that’s just how it goes with film festivals like Fresh Coast.

Don’t think of it as going to see a movie. Fresh Coast is more than that. It’s an experience, more along the lines of a music festival with multiple stages going at the same time. It’s as much about the people you meet and the conversations you share as it is the films you see.

The festival is divided into two-hour-long film blocks that run simultaneously at multiple venues in downtown Marquette. These blocks could be a group of themed short films, or a single feature that takes up the whole block. Each block will have an emcee and most likely a few attending filmmakers who will present their films, take questions and give a little additional information about themselves and their projects.

You have a lot of choice, so check out the films, venues and schedule. Be active, engage Fresh Coast. Figure out what you want to see and where you want to be and then enjoy! The only bad choice is not attending the festival!

Finally, part of what makes Fresh Coast special is our casual venues–so enjoy a beverage or a meal while attending and support the fantastic sponsors that help us make Fresh Coast a reality! While we’re at it, thank a volunteer too. FCFF is a 100 percent volunteer driven non-profit organization. Everyone you see that’s associated with the festival is here because we believe in it.

Did you attend the original Fresh Coast? Please send a comment with your experiences and any helpful hints for those attending for the first time. Thanks eh!