The Spark Presents

04/10/2026

Join us this Sunday, April 12 for a screening of Michael Pollan’s documentary about making bread. Part of our food festival, ‘Fermentation Nation,’ an exploration of fermented foods. Film screenings, guest speakers, and a feast of fermented foods await you. Register at thesparkpresents.org. Gardiner Theater, Trinity-Pawling School, Pawling, New York.

04/07/2026

Join us for our 2nd annual food festival this Sunday April 12th, Gardiner Theater, Pawling, NY. Films, Guest speakers, a Feast of fermented foods! Come for some of it, or all of it. Tickets $15 for morning and afternoon sessions, or $25 for the day. 11 to 4. Register at thesparkpresents.org.

04/04/2026

From beer to sourdough bread, from chocolate to tofu, fermentation transforms simple ingredients into extraordinary food and drink. Join us for a series of films and a conversation exploring the craft, science, and stories behind what we eat and drink every day—and how fermentation can support flavor and well-being—no expertise required.
Register on our website thesparkpresents.org

03/26/2026

Register at our website: thesparkpresents.org

03/22/2026

Join us for our second annual food festival on Sunday, April 12, Gardiner Theatre, Trinity-Pawling school in Pawling, NY. Discover the world of fermented foods.
Learn why probiotics make fermented foods healthier.
At the heart of today’s craft food movement, fermentation has been shaping cuisines for centuries. Join us for film screenings, a feast of fermented foods, and conversations with experts in the field.
Tickets: $15 for morning session; $15 for afternoon session, or $25 for all day.

Register at our website thesparkpresents.org.

Our doors open at 11am with coffee and snacks. Michael Pollan’s ‘Air’ and Sandor Katz’s ‘People’s Republic of Fermentation’ will be screened starting at 11:30, followed by a feast of fermented foods in the lobby. At 1:30 we will have a panel discussion with experts in the field, followed by a feature length film, ‘Shelf Life,’ about cheese. After closing remarks the day ends at 4pm.

Panelists include Martin Wilson of The Baker’s Wife in Pawling (sourdough), Richard Yi of Brooklyn Cider House @ Twin Star Orchards in New Paltz, John Fischer of the Culinary Institute of America speaking on beer and sake, and Jess Eng, a fermentation fiend who writes for Serious Eats.

The Spark Presents is a nonprofit community-based speakers series here in Pawling! Our goal is to contribute to a more informed and connected community. Visit us at thesparkpresents.org

Our talks, presentations and film screenings foster dialogue and strengthen connections within our community.

03/22/2026

Join us for our second annual food festival on Sunday, April 12, Gardiner Theatre, Trinity-Pawling school in Pawling, NY. Discover the world of fermented foods.
Learn why probiotics make fermented foods healthier.
At the heart of today’s craft food movement, fermentation has been shaping cuisines for centuries. Join us for film screenings, a feast of fermented foods, and conversations with experts in the field.
Tickets: $15 for morning session; $15 for afternoon session, or $25 for all day.

Register at our website thesparkpresents.org.

Our doors open at 11am with coffee and snacks. Michael Pollan’s ‘Air’ and Sandor Katz’s ‘People’s Republic of Fermentation’ will be screened, followed by a feast of fermented foods in the lobby. At 1:30 we will have a panel discussion with experts in the field, followed by a feature length film, ‘Shelf Life.’ After closing remarks the day ends at 4pm.

Panelists include Martin Wilson of The Baker’s Wife in Pawling (sourdough), Richard Yi of Brooklyn Cider House @ Twin Star Orchards in New Paltz, John Fischer of the Culinary Institute of America speaking on beer and sake, and Jess Eng, a fermentation fiend who writes for Serious Eats.

The Spark Presents is a nonprofit community-based speakers series here in Pawling! Our goal is to contribute to a more informed and connected community. Visit us at thesparkpresents.org

Our talks, presentations and film screenings foster dialogue and strengthen connections within our community.

02/09/2026

We spent a wonderful afternoon with Josh and Jack Viertel, learning about their thriller, ‘The Glass Eel’. The warm relationship between father and son was on display as they talked about the process of co-authoring a book. Maria Reade did a great job leading the conversation. Afterwards we retired to the room just down the hall where there was a roaring fire and snacks, and a book signing. A very rewarding way to spend the afternoon. Thanks go to the intrepid members of the audience who came out on such a cold day.

02/03/2026

Meet the authors! This father and son writing team that goes by J J Viertel, will be at The Learning Commons in Pawling this Sunday the 8th at 2pm to talk about their book ‘The Glass Eel’. They will be interviewed by Maria Reade and will stay to sell and sign books after the talk. 
Register for this FREE event at thesparkpresents.org.

Josh Viertel is co-founder of Harlem Valley Homestead in Wingdale and formerly President of Slow Foods USA. His father Jack is a well known figure in NY theater circles and his name is associated with some of Broadway's biggest hits.

Set against the backdrop of coastal Maine, the story of ‘The Glass Eel’ centers on Jeanette King, whose discovery of her ex-husband’s stash of baby eels pulls her into an underworld of smugglers, political corruption, and ecological exploitation. As she investigates, Jeanette joins forces with a local cop and an Indigenous activist to expose not just the smugglers, but the deeper systems of ecological and political corruption at play.
Vivid and timely, ‘The Glass Eel’ explores the fragile coastal ecosystem, the global rise in black-market elver trading, and the ongoing struggle for Indigenous sovereignty. With a resilient, unlikely heroine at its center and grounded in the authors’ firsthand experience with environmental and social justice, this is a powerful debut with clever wit, heart and urgency.

Audio and hard cover copies are available now at The Pawling Library.

The Spark Presents is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing public discourse through curated talks, film screenings and interactive learning experiences. By sharing diverse perspectives and encouraging open discussion, we contribute to a more informed and connected community. Visit us at thesparkpresents.org

01/28/2026

‘Music As Inspiration’ —Join us Saturday January 31st, 12:30pm to 4:30pm, Gardiner Theater, Trinity-Pawling School.

12:30 - 1:15 “The Only Girl in the Orchestra”
Academy Award-winning documentary short about trailblazing double bassist Orin O’Brien. She was hired by Leonard Bernstein in 1966, the first woman in the New York Philharmonic. This film is a charming, heartwarming look at O’Brien’s career as she prepares to retire at the age of 87.

Also on Saturday:

1:20 - 2pm “The Last Repair Shop”
A loving portrait of a gritty instrument repair shop that becomes a lifeline for local students in the city of Los Angeles.

2 - 2:30 Snack break. We will provide light snacks and beverages

2:30 - 4pm “Landfill Harmonic”
The true story of a Paraguayan youth orchestra that transforms garbage into instruments, proving creativity can turn poverty into remarkable music and global recognition.

4pm —Special Guest: Chris Kelsey, musician and instrumental music teacher at Trinity-Pawling, will speak about the class project he assigned based on the film Landfill Harmonic.

Tickets are $15. Come for all of it, or any part of it. Bring friends! Register on our website at: thesparkpresents.org

01/24/2026

‘Music As Inspiration’ —Join us for an afternoon viewing of three documentary films that celebrate music’s power to build community, amplify unheard voices and uplift the soul.
New Date: Saturday January 31st, 12:30pm to 4:30pm, Gardiner Theater, Trinity-Pawling School

12:30 - 1:15 “The Only Girl in the Orchestra”
Academy Award-winning documentary short about trailblazing double bassist Orin O’Brien. She was hired by Leonard Bernstein in 1966, the first woman in the New York Philharmonic.

1:20 - 2pm “The Last Repair Shop”
A loving portrait of a gritty instrument repair shop that becomes a lifeline for local students in the city of Los Angeles.

Snack break. We will provide light snacks and beverages

2:30 - 4pm “Landfill Harmonic”
The true story of a Paraguayan youth orchestra that transforms garbage into instruments, proving creativity can turn poverty into remarkable music and global recognition.

4pm —Special Guest: Chris Kelsey, musician and instrumental music teacher at Trinity-Pawling, will speak about his class project based on the film Landfill Harmonic.

If you previously registered for this event when it was scheduled for Jan. 25th, you do not need to re-register.

Tickets are $15. Come for all of it, or any part of it. Bring friends! Register on our website at: thesparkpresents.org

01/09/2026

Join us next Friday, January 16 at the Pawling Library for a screening of the documentary film ‘Free for All: The Public Library.’ (7 pm). The film tells the story of the quiet revolutionaries who made a simple idea happen. From the pioneering women behind the “Free Library Movement” to today’s librarians who service the public despite working in a contentious age of closures and book bans, meet those who created a civic institution where everything is free and the doors are open to all. Total running time is 1 hour, 24 minutes.
This event is brought to you by The Pawling Library in partnership with The Spark Presents, and is free of charge to the public. Seating is limited. Register now. Refreshments will be served after the screening.
Copy and paste this url to register:
http://engagedpatrons.org/EventsExtended.cfm?SiteID=8184&EventID=575561
The Spark Presents is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing public discourse through curated talks, film screenings and interactive learning experiences. By sharing diverse perspectives and encouraging open discussion, we contribute to a more informed and connected community. To learn more visit us at thesparkpresents.org

01/09/2026

Join us next Friday, January 16 at the Pawling Library for a screening of the documentary film ‘Free for All: The Public Library.’ (7 pm). The film tells the story of the quiet revolutionaries who made a simple idea happen. From the pioneering women behind the “Free Library Movement” to today’s librarians who service the public despite working in a contentious age of closures and book bans, meet those who created a civic institution where everything is free and the doors are open to all. Total running time is 1 hour, 24 minutes.
This event is brought to you by The Pawling Library in partnership with The Spark Presents, and is free of charge to the public. Seating is limited. Register now. Refreshments will be served after the screening.
Copy and paste this url to register:
http://engagedpatrons.org/EventsExtended.cfm?SiteID=8184&EventID=575561

The Spark Presents is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing public discourse through curated talks, film screenings and interactive learning experiences. By sharing diverse perspectives and encouraging open discussion, we contribute to a more informed and connected community. Visit us at thesparkpresents.org

Our talks, presentations and film screenings foster dialogue and strengthen connections within our community.