Last June beekeepers, farmers, farmworkers, scientists and environmentalists came together to organize the “Keep the Hives Alive Tour.”  A truck carrying 2.5 million dead bees was driven across the country in order to raise awareness about the plight of pollinators and how toxic pesticides contribute to their decline. Along the way, beekeepers, farmers, scientists, and community leaders were interviewed about the issue and ways we can all work together to save bees. The Keep the Hives Alive film tells the story of the tour, including how beekeepers, farmers and community leaders are all coming together to help solve this problem.

Goals of the screenings:

• Educate your community about the decline of bees and other pollinators.
• Urge local, state, and federal governments as well as retailers to adopt policies to reduce pesticide use and support sustainable agriculture.
• Grow our movement to protect bees, butterflies, and other pollinators through these community events.

A screening can be as small as just you and a few of your friends and family at your house, or as big as a theater or community venue with hundreds of people. It’s our hope that with your help, we’ll be able to hold hundreds of screenings across the country to amplify these important messages and inspire communities to become engaged in the fight to protect pollinators.

Hosting a screening is easy! Below are some tips to help you. If you have any questions or need help preparing, please drop us a line at KeepHivesAlive@gmail.com.  

Instructions for hosting a movie screening for bees:

1. Pick a day and time during National Pollinator Week (June 19th-25th) to host your screening.
2. Send invites to your screening. Invite your friends and family to enjoy the film and help save the bees.
3. If your screening is public, tell us about your event. Share the day, time, and location with us and we’ll help you publicize it to get folks there. 

Let us know about your screening here: http://cfs.center/kthascreening

Sample program:

6:00pm-6:20pm: Guests arrive and enjoy snacks. Be sure to collect e-mail addresses from everyone using the sign-up sheet.

6:20pm-6:30pm: Host introduces the film and any speakers and gives an overview of the night’s agenda.

6:30pm-7:00pm: Watch the Keep the Hives Alive film.

7:00pm-7:30pm: Question & answer session/discussion and plans for further community action.

7:30pm-8:00: Wrap up the event.

This is just a sample movie screening program. Be creative! Invite local guest speakers (beekeepers, farmers, gardeners, environmental activists, etc.), have bee-pollinated food or a bee-pollinated potluck!

Picking a venue:

Here are a few ideas for where to host your screening. Screenings can range from small, intimate gatherings to larger community gatherings.

• Your living room
• Project the film on the side of your house and have friends, family and neighbors gather in your yard
• A room at your local library or community center
• Your church, synagogue, temple, or mosque
• Have an event on your campus in a classroom, student center, library, or dorm
• A local coffee shop, bar, or restaurant
• A local movie theater
• Incorporate the screening into a meeting of a local club, community group, or organization

Spread the word:                                                                                                                        

If you’re planning a community or public screening, let folks in your community know about the event. Here are some tips for publicizing your screening so folks turn out.

• Spread the word on social media including Facebook, Twitter, or blogs. Create a Facebook event, invite folks and encourage them to share it far and wide.
• Email your friends and family. Include a sample invite and ask them to share the information with their networks.
• Spread the news through groups you’re involved with and over email listservs.
• Post the event on calendar listings in your city’s weekly publication(s) and on the web.
• Let local media outlets, including radio programs, know about the event and ask that they share the details with their audience.
• Ask local organizations (i.e. garden clubs or beekeeping organizations) to help you host the event.