‘Gather and Watch’ premieres in Yountville with a lens on the American Revolution
What started as a group of friends gathering to watch Thomas Keller on Netflix has grown into a new community “watch party” in Yountville.
Next week on Wednesday, Nov. 19, Yountville resident Carrie Hays will launch the first “Gather and Watch,” a six-week series inviting locals to come together for screenings of Ken Burns’ latest PBS documentary, The American Revolution.
As it continues for five additional sessions, Yountville residents can take part in free, big-screen viewings at the Yountville Locals Lounge inside the Yountville Commons. Each screening will be followed by an informal group discussion.
Burns’ new documentary explores how America’s founding “turned the world upside-down,” offering an expansive look at both the virtues and contradictions of the Revolutionary War and the birth of the United States. More information about the series is available at the PBS website.
When asked why the American Revolution, may be an especially important topic right now, Hays paraphrased a quote from filmmaker Burns, who cited the 250th birthday of the country coming up in 2026, and that the American Revolution is our origin story, and learning about it may help put this country back together.
Burns said in a Smithsonian magazine interview published this week, “We’re in a moment that people have described as existential, certainly a moment of division. Maybe there could be some understanding that during this revolutionary period, we were more divided than we are now. And maybe by going back and reinvesting some time in this origin story, we’ll be able to put the ‘us’ back in the U.S.”
Attendees will gather each week at 5 p.m., with the two-hour episodes beginning promptly at 5:15 p.m. A 45-minute open discussion will follow each viewing.
“The Thomas Keller viewing was organized by Yountville residents Karla Reyff and Ashley Tenscher in the Locals Lounge. About a dozen of us watched. Meanwhile, I have been seeing advertisements on PBS about Ken Burns who is on a promotion tour for this new series,” said Hays, who wanted to find a way for many people to see it, which led to the idea of again gathering in the Locals Lounge.
“It has a u-shaped couch with a lot of chairs behind it, and along the walls there are two or three desks; it’s kind of an informal space,” she explained, adding that the viewings are intended to be friendly, welcoming and informal. Attendees are encouraged to BYO beverages and snacks.
“The Locals Lounge is only available during the hours of Yountville Fit. We had to fit in two good hours,” she said, which is why the six sessions will be aired during traditional dinner time, although she emphasized that this is not a potluck.
“It’s come-one and come-all; anyone is welcome. The Locals Lounge can accommodate about 40 people, it would be terrific if the Lounge is full of Yountville neighbors for each viewing,” Hays concluded.
The viewing dates are Wednesday, Nov. 19, Dec. 3, 10 and 17, followed by Tuesday, Dec. 23 and 30. All sessions will take place at the Yountville Commons, 6554 Yount St.
