Now in its second year, Deep Carnivale: A Celebration of Words is a local lit fest that draws attention to more than 60 Bay area authors, poets, songwriters and artists, each adding his or her own unique flavor of creative verbiage and visuals to the festivities. The event is held on the HCC-Ybor campus grounds and on all four floors of the Cuban Club. Authors and poets scheduled to read excerpts from their works include Enid Shomer (Tourist Season), John Capouya (Gorgeous George: The Outrageous Bad Boy Who Created American Pop Culture), Lori Diamond (Man Overboard), and poets Lizz Straight, Ronda J. Nelson and James E. Tokley, Sr. Staged readings of Lord In Heaven by Ronny Elliott and The Agreeable Husband by Shana Perkins and Ami Sallee Corley are also on the bill. HCC professor Cheryl Borman and her students produce a series of short plays; Maggie Council, Christie Lenee, John McEwen, Bunko Squad, Juniper and several others play sets of Americana music; and for the art-minded folk, there's works on display by locals like Bradley Arthur, David Audet, Carolyn Kossar, Tracy Midulla-Reller and Christopher Weeks. Numerous book and publishing house vendors, author signing tables, writers' associations and related organizations, refreshments and performance stages are set up along 14th Street, with child-friendly activities — reading, games, arts and crafts, and live music by youth song purveyor Darrell House — offered in the HCC-Ybor Room. Sat., Sept. 27, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Palm Avenue and 14th Street, HCC-Ybor Courtyard at Ninth Avenue and 14th Street, and the Cuban Club, 2010 N. Avenida Republica de Cuba, Ybor City, free.
This article appears in Sep 24-30, 2008.