The ReadingFilm Office will present the 11th annual ReadingFilmFEST on Oct. 9–12, 2025 for four days of independent cinema, filmmaker conversations, educational programs and vibrant community celebrations.
This year’s festival will spotlight more than 65 films, with over 40 filmmakers in attendance from across the United States, as well as international talent from England, all converging in Reading to share their stories and connect with audiences in meaningful ways.
The festivities begin on Oct. 9 with StudentFEST, a day dedicated to young creatives and emerging filmmakers. Local, regional and international students will showcase their work, participate in workshops and engage with professionals from the film and television industry throughout the weekend.
StudentFEST nurtures the next generation of storytellers and provides a behind-the-scenes look at career pathways in film.
The ReadingFilmFEST opening gala will be held on Oct. 10, a red-carpet celebration at the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, 201 Washington St., Reading, bringing together filmmakers, sponsors and the community. The evening will include live music, food and drinks.
Filmmakers from around the world will be in attendance to introduce their films and participate in post-screening discussions with the audience. Their presence underscores Reading’s growing reputation on the global filmmaking map.
Films will screen at both the GoggleWorks and Reading Movies 11 & IMAX, offering audiences the chance to experience independent films in professional settings.
This year’s lineup spans a wide range of genres, including comedy/drama, animation & AI, sci-fi/horror, romance and the community favorite Made in Reading block, showcasing local filmmakers and familiar places.
Special presentations will also highlight community partnerships. The Berks County Latino Chamber will host Family Night on Oct. 10, featuring Disney-Pixar’s “Coco” presented in Spanish with English subtitles.
Coinciding with the festival, the ReadingFilm Office will host a Location Tour, welcoming film executives and location managers from across the industry to explore the region’s unique film-friendly assets, from historic landmarks to urban streetscapes and rural landscapes.
This strategic initiative is designed to promote Berks County as a film-friendly destination for film and TV productions, strengthening local tourism, workforce development and economic impact.
Evening receptions and after-parties will take place at venues across the community, including the Marriott Hotel, the Abraham Lincoln, Judy’s on Cherry and Centro Hispano. These events invite filmmakers and attendees to mingle, celebrate, and experience the creative spirit of the region.
Festival passes and individual tickets are available at www.readingfilmfest.org.
Follow @ReadingFilmFEST on social media for updates, filmmaker spotlights, and behind-the-scenes previews.
Yocum Institute
The Yocum Institute for Arts Education in West Lawn has announced the appointment of Kristin Gehris as its new school and community engagement director.
Gehris brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in communications, community impact and nonprofit engagement. Most recently, she served as community impact director at United Way of Berks County, where she led multimillion-dollar grant initiatives, coordinated early childhood education programs and developed partnerships that advanced family and community well-being.
She has also held leadership roles with Wilson School District/Wilson Education Foundation, GoggleWorks Center for the Arts and Sovereign Bank, in addition to serving as editor-in-chief of Berks County Living magazine. She began her career in Boston providing public relations counsel to healthcare, nonprofit and consumer clients.
Throughout her career, Gehris has been recognized for her professional achievements and civic leadership, including being named a Lehigh Valley Business Forty Under 40 honoree, a Greater Reading Chamber Top Rising Star and a Public Relations Society of America Keystone Award winner.
She has also served on numerous boards and committees, including PA 211, Reading Hospital’s Health Equity Community Collaborative and Greater Reading Young Professionals, where she was board president.
Her connection to Yocum Institute is a longstanding one: as a child, she participated in programs. She previously served on the board of directors and multiple committees, supporting the organization’s mission to make arts education accessible to the community. In her new role, she will strengthen partnerships with schools, families and community organizations to expand engagement and ensure that the arts remain a vital part of education and community life.
Gehris holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Alvernia University and a bachelor of arts degree in journalism from Lehigh University.
A Spring Township resident, she enjoys spending time with her husband, son and extended family. She finds balance and inspiration through trips to the beach, reading and practicing yoga.
Music
The new season of the Clay on Main Half Moon Concert Series, produced by Meadowood Music, is set to start on Friday at Clay on Main, 313 Main St., Oley.
“We’re incredibly proud to bring a truly exceptional lineup of artists to our community this season,” said Mike Andrews, co-owner of Meadowood Music and co-producer of the Series. “After many years, we knew it was time to elevate the entire concert experience at Clay on Main. With nationally recognized artists on stage and a seamless ticketing process, we’re creating an unforgettable series for our dedicated fans and welcoming many new ones.”
This season features top-tier performers including Mark Cosgrove & Good Medicine and Craig Bickhardt. While the series continues to spotlight local performers, these artists — who live within an hour of Berks County — add a new dimension to the lineup.
For the first time, tickets can be purchased in advance at https://www.meadowoodmusic.com/clay-on-main-concerts-half-moon, ensuring faster entry and guaranteed seating, replacing the former first-come, first-served model.
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Artemis Drake, a senior at Conrad Weiser High School and winner of Hershey Symphony’s 2025 Young Artist Competition, will perform Mozart’s Oboe Concerto in C Major with the Hershey Symphony on Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Hershey Free Church.
The symphony’s concert, which kicks off its 57th season, is titled “Let’s Be Franck: Music of France and Belgium.”
“In the competition, Artemis played the Mozart C major with a musical maturity beyond her years, possessing complete control of tempi and tone, even during the quickest passages and extreme registers,” said Maestro Greg Woodbridge. “The phrasing was beautifully sculpted, particularly the endings.”
Drake, 16, studies the oboe and English horn. She is a member of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, the Weinstein Woodwind Ensemble at Settlement Music School and a founder of the Philadelphia Area Youth Chamber Ensemble.
Drake plans to pursue a degree in oboe performance when she graduates.
For winning the competition, Drake also received the $1,000 William & Ruth Cagnoli Award, named for the late founders of Cagnoli Music.
The competition is open to all students enrolled in grades 7 through 11 who reside or go to school in Adams, Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry or York counties.
Tickets are $30 and are available at HersheySymphony.org.
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The 40th anniversary of the Fall Festival of the Arts, in collaboration with Trinity Lutheran Church, will feature Internationally renowned concert and recording organist Gail Archer, who will present “The Beauty of Ukrainian Music,” rarely heard pieces by contemporary Ukrainian composers, on Friday at 7 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, 527 Washington St., Reading.
On Sunday, the festival will present Barynya, Uniting With Ukraine, featuring Ukrainian folk dances and songs, at the WCR Center for the Arts, 140 N. Fifth St., Reading at 3 p.m. The two concerts are meant to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Ukraine, and to show solidarity with the Ukrainian people.
The program Archer will present for the Fall Festival will be taken from her recording, “Chernivtsi,” named for the city near the Romanian border in Eastern Ukraine, where she performed on “a beautiful Rieger-Kloss organ in the Armenian Catholic Church in 2020.”
All of the proceeds from the free will offering at the Archer concert as well as those from the art auction of a collaborative piece by the festival’s featured artists, Pam Shields Roule and Elaine Soltis, will be donated to Berks County Community Foundation’s Fund for ISAR Ednannia, which collects and distributes donations to community foundations in Ukraine.
Barynya was founded in 1991 by Mikhail Smirnov, who performs on the garmoshka (button accordion) and guitar. In addition to directing and performing in the company, he is the owner of Barynya Entertainment, a talent booking agency. His wife, Elina Karokhina performs on the domra (a folk stringed instrument with a long neck and pear-shaped body, similar to a lute), and they will bring a singer and a company of dancers.
To purchase tickets Barynya, Uniting With Ukraine and for complete information about the events held during the Fall Festival of the Arts, visit https://fallfestivalofthearts.org/tickets.
Theater
Reading Civic Theatre, 4350 Perkiomen Ave., Exeter Township, has announces its fall production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” The show opens on Oct. 17 and runs through Oct. 26. Performances are scheduled for Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.
Directed by Charles Troxel, with music direction by Pete Bourey and choreography by Alexandra Meck, this darkly comic thriller follows the return of Sweeney Todd, a wrongfully exiled barber, who seeks revenge in the shadowy streets of London. Teaming up with Mrs. Lovett, the eccentric pie-maker downstairs, Todd’s quest for justice turns chilling and unforgettable.
Alex Krick takes on the role of Sweeney Todd, bringing intensity and depth to the infamous barber. Kelly Kantner stars as Mrs. Lovett, whose dark humor and wild schemes make her one of musical theater’s most memorable characters. Malana Wilson plays Johanna, and Angel Soto takes on the role of Anthony, bringing warmth and light to the story’s younger generation. Together, the leads are supported by a talented ensemble that gives Sondheim’s haunting score and story their full dramatic impact.
“What fascinates me about Sweeney Todd is the contrast between light and dark,” Troxel said. “Johanna and Anthony represent innocence, love and hope, while Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett embody obsession, revenge, and chaos. It is this collision of worlds that makes the story so powerful and so moving for audiences.”
Tickets are on sale at readingcivic.org.
