Thank You! 17th Annual Gila River Festival Celebrated Our Connection to the Gila River

Presentations Available Online for Free

Thank you for a fantastic 17th annual Gila River Festival in September. The in-person and virtual event titled “(Re)Connect with the River” explored our connection to Nature, how the environment shapes human identity, and celebrated our connection to one another and to the Gila River watershed. Speakers included philosopher Kathleen Dean Moore, New York Times best-selling author Doug Tallamy, nature/science writer Sharman Apt Russell, poet Michelle Otero, and UNM’s Subhankar Banerjee. Gathering At the River closed the festival with Apache elders from the Chiricahua Apache Nation, performances by Borderlands Ballet and readings by Silver City poet laureate emerita Eve West Bessier and author and WNMU professor JJ Amaworo Wilson. Gila/Mimbres Community Radio’s Jamie Newton moderated the event. Nearly 200 people participated in more than 20 Covid-safe field trips and workshops. 

The online presentations and video of Gathering at the River are available for free thanks to a generous grant from the New Mexico Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities.  Visit www.gilariverfestival.org to watch the video presentations.

Join the Gila River Festival planning committee and be a part of efforts to connect people to the Gila River. Planning for the 18th annual festival kicks off on January 13th at 10 am. Get in touch at gilariverfest@gmail.com