The Bluff Arts Festival is celebrating its 20th year of endorsing arts and culture in the Four Corners at its weekend-long festival.
It kicks off Thursday, Oct. 17 and will wrap up Sunday, Oct. 20.
The Bluff Community Foundation is the nonprofit that makes it happen, with the intention of bringing the community together; especially those who live in Bluff and on the neighboring Navajo Nation, said Anne Brown, a volunteer at the festival.
Traditionally, Thursday evening starts with storytelling beside the San Juan River.
Each year, the desert writer who won the annual $5,000 award from the Ellen Maloy Fund starts with sharing something they’ve written. From there, people share their personal poems and stories in an open mic style.
“It’s one of those things that lasts all night,” Brown said.
But in June this year, Bluff lost a lot of its shoreline along the river during flash floods. What’s more, the winner of this year’s award is living in North Carolina, and they’re unable to make it because of the devastation of Hurricane Helene.
And so the kickoff might look a little different from years past, but the weekend will still begin with storytelling on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the Recapture Lodge.
On Friday, from morning into the afternoon, a smorgasbord of workshops – things like creative writing with award winning writers, basket weaving, jewelry making, painting – will be available to the public at a variety of prices.
From 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. that day, people can partake in an art walk and wander from individual studios to trading posts to galleries, admiring art from Four Corners artists.
“My favorite part is the film festival,” Brown said.
It’s free and outdoors, on a big, drive-in style movie screen. People can bring a chair or watch from their car, Brown said. It begins Friday night at 6:30 p.m. at the Bluff Community Center.
All seven of the movies concern the Four Corners area in one way or another, whether it be about the area, or created by a local filmmaker or writer.
“Enjoy a fabulous evening of film,” said Brown. “There’s quite a variety.”
Right before the film, all the volunteers from throughout the years will be recognized in light of the 20 year mark.
“That’s like half the town,” Brown said with a laugh.
The artist market is Saturday, and over 30 vendors will be there selling their pieces from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. That morning there’s more workshops, and later that night at 6:30 p.m., people can enjoy live music at the community center.
On Sunday, the last day of the festival, there will be two workshops in the morning, both beginning at 9 a.m.
And it’ll wrap up with book readings: Scott Graham will read at 10:30 a.m., and Pam Houston will read at 2 p.m., joined by The Monvales, a singing and songwriting duo.
“There’s so many activities, and they’re all outside,” said Brown. “It’ll be a lot of fun.”
For more information, check out their website, bluffartsfestival.org.
