Nominate Your Town for "Our Town"

Why should your town be "Our Town"? Rhode Island PBS wants to know! Your nomination could mean your town is the next setting for Our Town.

WHAT IS OUR TOWN?
Our Town is a community project where neighbors become filmmakers to tell the stories of Our Town. Rhode Island PBS invites residents to nominate their town by January 31, 2016. The town with the highest number of nominations will be the next location for filming starting in March.

“Everyone has something they love about their town - and they are happy to talk about it, given the chance,” said David Piccerelli, president of Rhode Island PBS. “Our Town taps into that town pride, giving people the opportunity to tell those stories now on television and preserve the stories for future generations to enjoy.”

The Our Town series shares with viewers the local legends, historical happenings, and backyard secrets of Rhode Island towns and villages – those untold or uncelebrated stories that capture the essence of the town.

WHERE WE'VE BEEN

The first documentary, Our Town: Glocester, debuted in December 2014. When we asked for nominations last January, two towns emerged by popular demand, so 2015 saw the premiere of Our Town: North Kingstown in September 2015, and Our Town: Portsmouth on December 2, 2015.

WHERE WE'RE GOING
Where we go next is completely up to you. Your Voice, Your Vision. Nominate your town using a simple online survey form, and tell us what is so great about your town. Townies are especially urged to participate, but you do not have to live in the particular town - just have a great town story to tell about it. 

Nominations will be also accepted by email or regular post if accompanied by the name of the town being nominated and a short essay that answers in 100 words or less, “Why should your town be Our Town?”

A LITTLE FINE PRINT
Only Rhode Island towns are eligible for this project. But of Rhode Island's 39 municipalities, 31 are towns, so that's a lot of great stories to tell. (Sorry, Central Falls, Cranston, East Providence, Newport, Pawtucket, Providence, Warwick, and Woonsocket. Cities are not eligible for Our Town at this time.) With three towns visited, we still have 28 eligible locations, plenty of opportunity for individuals and businesses to get involved. 

DEADLINE
Deadline for nominations is Sunday, January 31, 2016. The winning town will be announced on February 15 on our Website, our blog, and social media accounts (do you already follow us?)

PROJECT INFORMATION
For  information about the Rhode Island PBS Our Town project, visit www.ripbs.org/ourtown.