Playing October 16th @ 5pm A film screening and community conversation about Natural Burials, hosted by the Mad River Valley Cemetery Commissions and the founder of Vermont Forest Cemetery. Free and open to all—bring your questions and a friend!
About the event

From Earth to Earth: Exploring Natural Burial in the Mad River Valley and Beyond
Wednesday, October 16 | 5:00–7:00 PM

Big Picture Theater, Waitsfield

Free and open to the public
Join the Mad River Valley Cemetery Commissions for an evening of film, conversation, and community learning centered on natural (green) burial—an environmentally conscious, deeply personal alternative to conventional burial and cremation.
We’ll begin with a screening of From Earth to Earth, a moving 20-minute documentary that introduces natural burial through the voices of Vermonters who helped make it legal and those whose experiences show how it can bring peace, healing, and reconnection to the cycles of nature.
Following the film, stay for a Q&A and community discussion with:
Michelle Acciavatti, founder of Vermont Forest Cemetery—Vermont’s first conservation cemetery
Jim Hogle, President and Outreach Coordinator at Vermont Forest Cemetery
Local cemetery commissioners from across the Mad River Valley
Together, we’ll explore what natural burial looks like in practice, how it’s being embraced here in Vermont, and what options are currently—or could be—available in our own towns.
Whether you’re planning ahead, supporting a loved one, or simply curious, this event offers a welcoming space to learn, ask questions, and begin the conversation.
Doors open at 4:45 PM

Complimentary dessert and a cash bar will be available in the lounge after the formal program.