Dennis Mikulich Mesa Legend

Jim Cervantes, the event’s main coordinator.

The horizon is bright as The Mesa Literary Festival is set to begin this year in full force. From Oct. 24 to Oct. 25 this event will feature many talented teachers and artists ranging from poets to musicians. Almost half of the featured guests hail from Arizona and will awe audiences with their ability in the arts. The guests will include Jed Allen, a creative writing teacher from Phoenix College; Ann Cummins, a published writer who also teaches creative writing at Northern Arizona University; along with another guest, Jim Simmerman. They are followed closely by Ryan Nemec, who may be a familiar face among students as he plays the lead alto saxophone with the MCC jazz big band.
Last year was a success as many students came to enjoy the wide variety of music and entertainment and some were even pulled into the acts by the performers. Last year Joy Harjo’s performance did just that by offering different instruments to volunteers and giving them the chance to accompany her in the Native American percussion act. The blues vibe of last year will waft into this year’s events as well. “This year it (the blues event) promises to be even better with the addition of Steve Willis, who is a member of the Elvin Bishop Band,” said Jim Cervantes, the festivals coordinator. Now in its junior year, The Mesa Literary Festival was originally known as The Living Web, but with a refreshed look and new name the turnout should be outstanding.
Similar events are held throughout the state, but Cervantes said, “The other literary festivals in the state occur in the spring, so I thought presenting one in the fall would eliminate conflicts and crowded schedules for writers and audience alike.”Cervantes conculded one of the reasons behind the event lies with literacy.This “country needs all the help it can get and presenting living, contemporary writers seems to spark an interest.” For more information please check their website www.mc.maricopa.edu/~jcervantes/mlf/main.html.