Celebrating its 20th year, the Bluff Arts Festival is an annual celebration of the arts and culture of the Four Corners region. Artists, writers, film makers, and musicians give their interpretation of their culture and talents in various Bluff settings surrounded by red rocks and golden cottonwoods.
The festival kicks off on Thursday, October 17 with Riverside Storytelling at the Recapture Lodge along the San Juan River.
Historically, the evening begins with the winner of the Ellen Meloy Award for Desert Writers. This year’s winner is Debbie Weingarten, author of the upcoming book on her life in essays as a female farmer. Open mike for other poets’ &and writers’ storytelling will be available after Weingarten’s reading.
Friday, October 18 begins with a variety of workshops, from a comedian inspiring storytelling to basket weaving. The workshops continue all weekend. Some are an hour, some last two days.
Later in the afternoon, an Art Walk takes place around Bluff giving a look into individual artists’ studios, trading posts, galleries & businesses. Maps will available online at bluffartsfestival.org prior to the Bluff Arts Festival weekend and around town.
Friday night is a favorite for all festival attendees is the annual film festival directed by Four Corners’ film makers and shown on a large outdoor screen at the Bluff Community Center. Bring a chair & a blanket for films start at 7:30 pm. This year’s films include:
• Cara Romero: Following The Light     
Explores Contemporary Fine Art photographer and Chemehuevi citizen Cara Romero’s work, which captures Indigenous and non-Indigenous cultural memory, collective history, and lived experiences from a Native American female perspective.
• The Bear Dance     
High school kids that are members of the Ute Mountain Ute tribe in Towaoc, Colorado made a film that describes the Bear Dance and its origins and meanings.
• In The Dirt          is a documentary film about a group of passionate Native American cyclists who attempt to bring the sport of mountain biking to the Navajo Nation, where no bike shops exist.
In 2018, retired pro cyclist Scott Nydam and his family moved to Gallup, NM to pursue a healthcare job for his wife. Soon after their arrival, Scott began meeting passionate mountain bikers across the 28,000-mile expanse of the Navajo Nation who loved the bike and wanted to bring the sport to their communities.
The only problem is no bike shops existed. Through a grassroots native-led effort, this group of dedicated cyclists and their families have overcome countless odds to build a cycling culture that today has become the fastest-growing recreational sport on the Navajo Nation.
On Saturday, October 19, the best Four Corners group of artisans gather to sell their creations at the Artist Market in the Bluff Community Center area from 10 am to 5 pm.
Highlighted by the 2024 Bluff Arts Festival featured artist Gilmore Scott, his signed poster & his colorful paintings will be for sale at his booth. Over 30 artists from pottery to jewelry, drums to paintings, Zuni fetish carvings to sculpture will have booths to fascinate and entice visitors all day.
Saturday night jazzes up with Live Music at the Bluff Community Center beginning at 6:30 pm. Two favorite Four Corners’ bands will help all to let loose with Summit Dub Squad, a roots reggae / positive hip hop band from Flagstaff, Arizona and Krieg Benally of Neon Nativez, DJ and electronic dance music producer. Food trucks will be available as well as local restaurants.
New this year is Literary Day sponsored by Torrey House Press on Sunday, October 20. A great conclusion to the weekend starts at 10:30 am at the Cow Canyon Coffee House with author Scott Graham’s discussion on land and climate issues through creative writing, and writing thrillers that advocate for multifaceted understandings of the Southwest. Scott has just published the book Death Valley Duel – part of his National Park Mystery Series.
After a buffet soup & salad lunch at Twin Rocks Café ($10 per person), author Pam Houston will have readings from her new book Without Exception with intimate storytelling lyrics from the nationally acclaimed duo, The Montvales from 2:00 – 3:30 pm
The festival is sponsored by the Bluff Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) dedicated to supporting the arts and community of greater Bluff through existing community initiatives and fostering new ones. Bluff’s monthly recycling program is just one of the past year’s success stories.
More information is available at www.bluffartfestival.org and lodging & restaurant information at www.bluffutah.org