Mad River Literary Festival

April is National Poetry Month and since April 1997 the College’s English Department faculty members have organized and sponsored the Mad River Literary Festival. In recent years the Mad River Festival Committee expanded to include Art and Library Faculty members. The festival now features a Juried Student Art Exhibition, student musical performances, and public readings by student and professional poets. In addition to prominent visiting writers brought in to highlight the Festival, an Open Reading of original creative work by CT State – Northwestern students and community residents is also presented. Students are encouraged to sign up and read their work at the Festival’s Open Reading. Funding for the Mad River Festival is supported by the Northwestern Community College Foundation and the Arts and Humanities Department.

The CT State Northwestern Mad River Festival Committee invites students and community members to celebrate art and literature on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, from 4-8:30 PM in Founders Hall. This year’s schedule features the Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition in the Gallery at Founders Hall from 4-6 PM, followed by a book launch of this year’s Mad River Anthology. Student Michael Rodgerson will provide live music from 5:45-6:15 PM. Students and community members are encouraged to sign up to read their work on the theme of “Becoming” at the Festival’s Open Reading starting at 6:25 PM. Featured Guest Speaker Frederick-Douglass Knowles II will begin at 7 PM. Please join us for light refreshments to follow.

For more information contact jgilley@nwcc.commnet.edu