Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (CMBG) and Boothbay Harbor’s Harbor Theater have rescheduled their public screening of The Pollinators for Thursday, March 12, at 6 p.m. Per director Peter Nelson, The Pollinators is “a cinematic journey around the United States following migratory beekeepers and their truckloads of honey bees as they pollinate the flowers that become the fruits, nuts and vegetables we all eat.” The film focuses not only on these vital pollinators, but also on the beekeepers, farmers, chefs, and academics who interact with them, offering the audience a broader perspective about honey bees’ importance and the threats to both their survival and our food security

As a special addition to the evening, CMBG’s CFO/COO and Master Beekeeper, Erin MacGregor-Forbes, will give a brief introduction prior to the screening as well as generate a little buzz about the Gardens’ new learning apiary. Erin MacGregor-Forbes is former Chairman of the Eastern Apicultural Society (EAS), the largest noncommercial beekeeping organization in the United States. She has earned three grants from the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program for her work comparing honey bee colony strength and survivability between nucleus and package-started colonies. MacGregor-Forbes speaks nationally on a variety of beekeeping topics, focusing specifically on northern sustainable beekeeping practices.

“This is an important film,” MacGregor-Forbes says. “It’s a great opportunity for us to talk as a community about honey bees and the role they play in our country’s agriculture system, helping to put about a third of our diets on our plates.”

Tickets, $10/adult, $8/child, are available on CMBG’s website, MaineGardens.org, or at the door (cash only). Doors open at 5 p.m. Appetizers and concessions will be available prior to the screening.