Linda Perry
Last year, Jonny Leahan and Pamela Cullen learned that their town of New Cumberland longs for—and appreciates—culture, entertainment and community.
That’s why the duo is heading up the second annual New Cumberland Music + Film Festival, slated for this month in the downtown area. More than a dozen films and music performances are on tap at various spots in the borough.
“It was such a success last year that we decided to hold it again,” Leahan said.
The inaugural event taught the organizers a lot of lessons, so it’s a bit easier organizing for the sophomore year, Cullen stated.
“Last year, we were kind of flying blind,” she said. “Now we know there’s a market for this.”
This year’s event offers exclusive film screenings and music concerts throughout the weekend at the West Shore Theatre, with other music performances at Source the Space. Additionally, buskers, or sidewalk musicians, will offer periodic free performances in the Third Avenue alleyway adjacent to the theater.
“Buskers give a fun, neighborhood vibe to the event, and there are no tickets required for the street music,” Leahan said. “There’s also music improv at Source the Space, and lots more musical surprises in store.”
The festival is an innovation of the New Cumberland Collective, a group of locals who began with the idea that “neighbors and members of the community can come together to make things happen,” according to the group’s website.
Other collective events include an annual Pride Festival and The Wind Down, a “chance to meet folks in our community paired with vibe-y local live music,” held the fourth Sunday of each month at the West Shore Theatre.
The Music + Film Festival is “our most expansive event with it being multi-day,” noted Cullen, who serves as the collective’s vice president. New Cumberland’s “small town feel” is what she likes best about doing things in the community, she said.
“New Cumberland is very walkable,” Cullen said. “It’s very likely that you’ll run into people you’ll know here.”
To Cullen, the borough offers “the best of both worlds”—a small town but one with cultural assets.
“The West Shore Theatre is a gem,” she said. “It has a great sound system, so it’s not hard to get bands to play here.”
The festival’s music schedule includes Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, an “indie rock band based out of Philly,” on Saturday, according to Leahan.
“We’re really excited about having this band,” he said.
On tap for Friday’s opening night is Aortic Valve, which offers “incredible audiovisual performances,” Leahan said.
“This will make our opening night something to remember,” he said.
The scheduled opening night film is “Eno,” a “groundbreaking” generative documentary about ambient music innovator, songwriter and visual artist Brian Eno, formerly of Roxy Music. Eno also is renowned for his production collaborations with David Bowie, U2 and Talking Heads.
“This is a generative documentary, so it is never the same twice,” Leahan noted. “The filmmaker is using AI for a bespoke version made just for our festival. We’re really lucky to have this for our audiences.”
Also scheduled is the film, “Luther: Never Too Much,” a chronicle of vocal virtuoso Luther Vandross. Directed by Dawn Porter, the film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was also featured at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York.
“We’re really lucky to have this,” Leahan said. “(Vandross) started out backing Bowie, (Bette) Midler and many others. It’s a story about how he overcame the odds to become the greatest vocalist ever.”
In addition, the festival will feature a “magical art” poster by New Cumberland native Stephen Michael Haas, creator of New Cumberland’s Neato Burrito mural and an illustrator for TheBurg.
“There’ll be lots more announcements coming up, too,” Leahan said. “Everything will be announced on our website. We’ll have a range of events for all kinds of people and all kinds of tastes.”
The 2nd Annual New Cumberland Music + Film Festival takes place Sept. 20 to 22 in downtown New Cumberland. For more information, advance ticket purchases and event sponsorship, visit www.newcumberland.co/music-film-festival.
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