Northern Arizona Book Festival features Native artists and more April 1-4

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Once again, for its 25th year, the Northern Arizona Book Festival is taking place in Flagstaff April 1-4, a weeklong event featuring Native writers, readings, workshops with adaptions because of COVID-19, because of the pandemic, all events will be online.

Amber McCrary, a recent addition to the festival's board, who also runs Abalone Mountain Press, a Diné woman owned press, will participate. Featured readings of the book featival will include Tacey Atsitty, Ansel Elkins and Benjamin Garcia April 3.

Abalone Mountain Press will feature a reading April 2 from 7-9 p.m. featuring Shaina Nez, Laura Da', Taté Walker, Laura Tohe, Ofelia Zepeda and Danielle Geller, along with a free raffle and book giveways.

"That's a pretty cool lineup with all Native women," McCrary said. "I'm really excited about that event."

The morning of April 4, the Museum of Northern Arizona is hosting a National Poetry Month reading featuring Lindsey Curley, Lance Tubinaghtewa, Chael Moore, Sareya Taylor, Jaclyn Roessel, Sage Lacapa, Megan Russell and Manny Loley.

McCrary curated a poetry showcase at the musem for the month of April, with poetry from nine poets speard throughout the museum (this will also be on display in the museum throughout the year), but the poets will be reading at the book festival to call attention to the event at the museum.

"They did it last year, it was called 'Poetry on the Plateau,' which is the same as this year, it's pretty cool," McCrary said.

Also featured is the University of Arizona Press readings from 'The Diné Reader: an Anthology of Navajo Literature,' featuring a panel of Esther Belin, Sherwin Bitsui, Erik Bitsui, Shonto Begay, Tatum Begay, Hershman John and Venaya Yazzie.

More information and to view the full schedule of book festival events is available at https://www.noazbookfest.org/.