A bookish affair is taking shape at Southwest Open Charter School.
In collaboration with other local schools and community partners, the Cortez Public Library will host the city's first annual edible book festival on March 23 from 1 to 3:45 p.m.
The International Edible Book Festival is held each year in countries around the world around April 1.
The festival's official web site, www.books2eat.com, describes it as an ephemeral global banquet in which anyone can participate.
The first event, in 2000, was inspired by French gastronome Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savario who wrote Physiologie du goût, a witty meditation on food, and the author's birthday was April 1.
Rita Stramel became familiar with the book-eating phenomenon when she lived in Kansas. She thought it would be a good fit for the 21st Century Community Learning Center grant she now helps administer.
The program, called Project Empower, provides after-school and weekend classes and activities for students at Southwest Open Charter School, Mesa Elementary, and Manaugh Elementary.
The fun and challenge are not just for students since anyone in the community may participate.
Cortez' edible book festival is scheduled for March 23 rather than April 1 as event planners thought a Saturday date would ensure the greatest participation. With April Fools' Day falling on a Monday this year, and with it being the first day of Spring Break, March 23 is the best day for the event, explained Jennifer Carter, director of both Project Empower and SWOS.
For those having a hard time imagining what an edible book might look like, browse through photos of creations from past years, posted on www.books2eat.com. The few rules are every entry must be "bookish, whether in form, content, or inspiration and they must be edible. Other than those, the only limitations are individuals' creativity and culinary ambition.
Entries may be dropped off at the library on March 22 from 3 to 4:00 p.m., or on March 23 from 10 a.m. to noon. The edible books display will open at 1 p.m. At 3:30 p.m. prizes will be awarded for the best entries in several categories, after which festival attendees will eat the books.