The Boomtown Film Society will host BoomFest 2025, Feb. 21–23. This is the 17th edition of the festival.
Southeast Texas’ Boomtown Film and Music Festival has created a long-lasting tradition highlighting independent artists since 2008. The three-day event will include film screenings, music performances, panel discussions and parties.
Board member Gordon S. Williams said the weekend will feature representations from across the nation and the world.
“There’s workshops, music performances and an opportunity for creatives to network, display their work and, hopefully, meet other people and have more filmmaking opportunities here in Southeast Texas,” he said.
BoomFest will be held at five different venues in Beaumont, including the Jefferson Theatre, the Art Museum of Southeast Texas, The Texas Energy Museum, For the Record, and The Logon Cafe. On Friday, Feb. 21, the festival begins at The Texas Energy Museum, starting at 2:30 p.m., with screenings of “Stampila,” “The Ragin’ 13,” “City of Hate” and “Reel Learning.” The Academy Award-winning film, “Paper Moon,” will screen at 7 p.m. at the Jefferson Theatre.
To close the night, bands Hot Grits, Melon Jelly, and Ole Lonesome will perform at For the Record on Calder Avenue from 7 p.m. to midnight.
Feb. 22 is BoomFest’s most jampacked day, filled with various performances and films at all five venues throughout the day.
“Out of the Box Block” begins day two of the fest at the Jefferson Theatre, and in the evening, the results of the annual 48-Hour Film Race, where groups have two days to write, shoot, edit, and deliver a short film based on a random genre, will be screened.
A group of Lamar students participated in the race, where they created a short film based on a post-apocalyptic slasher theme.
“It was one of my first experiences,” Junior Madison Ridenour said. “It really shows you the process that goes behind it and being creative in a short amount of time. It made me realize that I want to do more with film.”
The winner of the race will receive the prestigious Golden Gusher award.
Alongside the students, Williams has two films featured in the festival. “She Loves Her John,” a redemption story about the feelings that occur after betrayal and the thought of moving forward. Williams also produced a documentary titled “Shankleville: A Love That Still Stands” about the love story of an enslaved couple who built a community in East Texas and their descendants who celebrate their contributions, and the importance of their history.
“As a filmmaker, anytime you have a chance to show your work, it’s always an honor, especially since ‘She Loves Her John’ was shot here in Beaumont,” Williams said. “I think it gives value to the work that filmmakers and creatives are doing in this area, having a chance for the crew and the cast to be able to bring in their films and family and be able to show it on the big screen at the Jefferson.”
Feb. 23 closes out the festival with brunch at the Logon Cafe and encores of films displayed throughout the event.
Tickets are available for purchase online at boomtownfestival.com, starting at $15 for a wristband good one film or one music venue.
The $30 festival pass is good for the entire weekend and allows attendees to experience all the festival offers.
The $60 VIP pass grants access to everything available in the festival pass and also allows visitors access to the VIP film room and a branded BoomFest bag.
For more information, visit boomtownfestival.com or email boomtownfest@ gmail.com.
