The documentaries have been chosen and schedule set for the Friday Harbor Film Festival running Oct. 23-26, and tickets are now being sold. With just a few weeks to go, a variety of volunteers are still needed. It takes community support to pull the Friday Harbor Film Festival together, not just by attending, but through hands-on volunteer work.

“We really depend on the suport of the community,” Susan Waters, the Film Festival’s Student and Volunteer Development Director said, “With 50-60 vounteers throughout the weekend, without them, we would not be able to pull the event off.”

From scanning tickets and helping people to their seats to decorating for the Opening Gala, there are tasks for everyone.

New this year, with a record number of attending filmmakers, an Ambassador Program is being launched to help meet their housing needs.

An ambassador may host a filmmaker in a qualified guest space (cottage, ADU or apartment with a separate entrance). To learn more and apply, email us at info@fhff.org, and we will reach out with details.

If hosting isn’t feasible, potential ambassadors may also purchase the FHFF Ambassador Pass for $500, which directly offsets the cost of local hotel lodging for filmmakers. Purchase an Ambassador Pass by visiting https://www.fhff.org/passes.

Both options include the same ambassador benefits; two Patron Passes with Gala tickets and early seat selection, two invitations to the Filmmaker Cocktail Hour, access to the private Filmmakers Lounge throughout the weekend and recognition at the Opening Night Gala.

Other volunteer oportunituties take place at the film venues, which include the Grange, Palace Theatre and the San Juan Community Theatre. Here volunteers are needed to welcome guests, scan/sell tickets, direct attendees, answer questions and assist with audience choice voting at either the San Juan Community Theatre or the Palace Theater Friday, Oct. 24, through Sunday, Oct. 26, plus special Young Filmmaker Showcase at The Grange, Thursday, Oct. 23. One can also take a seat behind the scenes as a projectionist. Waters assured that as films are digital, pushing a start button is the main requirement, and that there will be a training to get volunteer projectionists up to speed.

Looking for something fancy? At the Opening Gala, volunteers can help add some sparkle to the Gala with decorations, help set up, serve or clean up.

Benefits include complimentary passes dependant on the shifts taken. Those passas, according to Waters, are transferable to friends and family. The biggest perk Waters said is meeting the folks behind the camera, “One of the most fun things about volunteering is meeting the filmmakers.”

Learn more and sign up on the FHFF website, https://www.fhff.org/.

A few notes on general attendence; there are new options for attending this year is reserved seating. Attendees may select their seats beginning Oct. 4, or Oct. 1 forAll Access Pass holders. This guarrentees people will have a seat, and lets them choose their prefered location.Tickets range from an all access pass for $200, to a single pass for either $15 in addvance or $18 at the door. There is now a Six pack pass for $72 for county residents, or $85 for non-county.Visit fhff.org/passes to review all pass types.To view the festival’s program and get a feel for the extensive variety of films, visit https://www.fhff.org/.

Waters noted that there are volunteers that come from off-island each year because they love it so much. “We are like a big family.”she said, adding that if anyone has questions, or has difficulty signing up or buying tickets feel free to reach out by contacting the office at 360-670-4433 or email info@fhff.org.