Mad River Fest

The Mad River Festival is a long-standing celebration of literature and the arts in Northwestern Connecticut, rooted in the region’s educational and cultural traditions. It originated in 1965 as Scroll, a literary magazine produced by the English and Art departments at what is now CT State Northwestern. Renamed the Mad River Anthology in 1974, the publication has provided a platform for student writers and artists for decades, featuring poetry, fiction, essays, song lyrics, and photography.

In 1996, the anthology became the centerpiece of the Mad River Festival, an expanded event that brings the campus and community together through poetry readings, faculty and guest speaker presentations, a juried student art show, and interdisciplinary collaborations. While the festival and publication continued uninterrupted until 2019, both paused during the COVID-19 pandemic before returning in 2023.

Today, the Mad River Anthology remains CT State Northwestern’s annual literary magazine, showcasing student work selected by faculty editors from the English and Art departments. Meanwhile, the Mad River Festival has evolved into a dynamic, multi-faceted event that fosters creative expression across disciplines. The Northwestern Connecticut Community College Foundation has sponsored the anthology’s publication since 1993, in collaboration with the campus Cultural Planning Committee. This year, the festival was awarded a grant from CT Humanities, allowing for an expanded reach, increased community engagement, and the opportunity to bring in acclaimed artists from outside the state.