HOW TO FEST

Frequently Asked Questions about ACFF

TICKET INFORMATION

Yes. We sell tickets at the box office. Please check the website before heading out. Remember, it’s a big help to our staff if you purchase your tickets online ahead of time. Purchasing ahead also cuts down on lines and wait time in the lobby. If sold out, any seats unclaimed 15 minutes prior to the screening will be made available for purchase.

Yes. However, discount codes can only be used for tickets purchased online.

If you have bought a ticket or a pass, a confirmation email was sent to the email address you used. (search for an email from “2026 American Conservation Film Festival.”)

  • Pass holders can pick up their printed badges with lanyards at the box office.
  • Ticket holders need to bring the QR codes they were issued for each of the specific screenings. If you have misplaced your confirmation email, you can login here to find “My Tickets.” If necessary, we can look up your ticket order at the box office to give you access into a screening.

No. If you have a smartphone, you can pull up your QR code that is in the confirmation email and we’ll scan it at the door. There is a different QR code for each screening.

Yes. We will have printed badges for everyone who has a purchased a festival pass. Just pick yours up at the box office when you arrive and wear it each time you go to a screening. It will contain a QR code that can be scanned by the ushers. NEW POLICY THIS FESTIVAL: We expect many of the film blocks will sell out, so please come early. Empty seats will be released 15 minutes before showtime, to those on standby. Doors open 30 minutes before a screening. All seats are general admission.

All seats are general admission. Doors open 30 minutes before a film block. NEW POLICY THIS FESTIVAL: We expect many of the film blocks will sell out, so please come early. Empty seats will be released 15 minutes before showtime, to those on standby.

You can find the festival schedulehere or download a printable PDF here.

The festival has so much more happening than just films. We’ll have filmmakers and conservation experts offering Q&As after most of the screenings. See the list of special guests here. ACFF is offering a special student screenings and programming in advance of the Festival. We are excited to host a number of conservation nonprofits as exhibitors in the Exhibit Hall in an effort to create an environment of conversation and community. Organizations such as the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Bee City, Land Trust of Eastern Panhandle, Potomac Valley Audubon Society, and Town Run Watershed will be there to discuss their conservation initiatives. In addition, Four Seasons Books will be selling a broad selection of conservation-related books. We’ll also be offering food and beverages from local restaurants .

Filmmakers will be attending screenings of their films and likely other screenings throughout the festival. They often hang out in the lobby and in the Exhibit Hall in McCoy Hall between shows and are usually happy to answer questions. Our guide to special guests is here. 

Those 18 and under are admitted free with a ticket. To obtain a free ticket, please contact us in advance with the screening(s) you’d like to attend. Some films have scenes that may be uncomfortable for sensitive viewers, so please use your discretion or reach out to us with questions when making your plans.

Yes. We encourage students to attend as advancing conservation education is part of ACFF’s mission. To obtain a free ticket in advance, please contact us in advance with the screening(s) you’d like to attend and an image of your current college ID. If a screening isn’t sold out, you can bring a current student ID to the box office and receive a free ticket.

Yes.  If you have attended a screening, you can rate each of the films from your “My Tickets” page. Alternatively, you may respond to an email that our ticketing system sends out following the screening. The short film with the highest rating will be awarded $250 and laurels. The feature film with the highest rating will also be give $250. Your ratings help determine the winners.

VENUE AND PARKING

All screenings are at the Frank Arts Center, 260 University Drive on the Shepherd University campus in Shepherdstown, WV. Google Map Directions»

Parking surrounding the Frank Center will be FREE during all screenings. Preferred parking is in lot G which is the closest to the lower lobby and near the Wellness Center. Google Map Directions»

Yes. We have seating areas that will accommodate wheelchairs. Emailing ahead to reserve a handicap seat is helpful. There is an elevator in the entrance nearest the parking lot. Bathrooms are accessible too. All films are also open-captioned for those with hearing loss.

Yes. This year ACFF will be offering concessions between the film blocks. Mingle with other filmgoers, community members, filmmakers and special guests for lively conversation about the films. We will be offering food from local restaurants. The concession area will be in McCoy Hall off the lower lobby of the Frank Center.

TRAVELING TO SHEPHERDSTOWN

There are a few interesting places to stay when visiting Shepherdstown. Consider a stay with one of our sponsors, Sundogs Bed & Breakfast an animal-friendly, eco-friendly, country retreat situated on 46 secluded acres. Or consider booking a room that overlooks the river at the Bavarian Inn, another sponsor, which is walking distance to the Frank Center where the Festival is being held. Here is a list of other places to stay.

Downtown Shepherdstown has a number of restaurants and bars. Here is a list of places to eat or drink.

The historic district of Shepherdstown has a wide variety of dining and bar options. We suggest you contact restaurants and bars in advance as hours differ seasonally. Many of the restaurants take dinner reservations up to 9:00 – 10:00pm – like Bistro 112 (French), Alma Bea (Appalachian), Kome (Thai), Bavarian Inn (German), Panagiotas (Greek), and Grand Ranchero (Mexican). The local pubs, The Mecklenburg Inn, and Stoney’s Pub, are open later.