Seventy authors, poets and publishers filled The Block in Rio Rancho on Saturday for the first-ever Sage and Ink Book Festival, a free celebration built entirely around New Mexico’s own literary talent. Readers wandered between tables meeting the writers behind the books, discovering new titles they might never have stumbled across otherwise.
Every single person selling or presenting work at the event was a New Mexico local, according to KRQE, which reported that the festival gave attendees the chance to not only meet the authors but discover new books. The station’s report notes the event marked the first time Rio Rancho had seen a book festival built entirely around homegrown writers.
The idea came from festival founder Diane Hatz, who told the station she wanted the gathering to do more than sell books. “I’m really hoping I can bridge the writers and creative with the book lovers and the readers,” Hatz said, per the same KRQE account, describing her goal of elevating New Mexico’s literary community as a whole.
Free Admission, Dozens of Local Voices
Ahead of the event, Hatz laid out the details in an announcement on her Substack newsletter, writing that the festival would take place Saturday, November 7, from noon to 4 p.m. at The Block in Rio Rancho. Admission was free and open to the public, the announcement said, and organizers expected more than 50 participating New Mexico authors, poets and publishers to take part — a number that grew to 70 by the time KRQE covered the event.
The newsletter also described what attendees could expect once inside: the chance to buy books directly from participating writers and attend conversations and performances throughout the day. New Mexico Poet Laureate Manuel González was slated to perform during the festival, according to the announcement, adding a literary headline act to the day’s lineup of readings and panels.
An Eventbrite listing for the festival similarly advertised spoken word performances by the state’s poet laureate and other notable performers, along with several panel discussions about books and reading, though the specifics of each session were laid out only in that promotional listing.
A Festival Built on Local Sponsorship
According to Hatz’s announcement, the festival was organized and hosted by Sage & Ink and sponsored by Enchanted Books and The Block — keeping the event’s organizational roots, like its author roster, firmly within New Mexico. Hatz wrote that she wanted to create an event where people can discover books and writers they might never find otherwise, a mission that shaped everything from the venue choice to the all-local guest list.
Looking ahead, KRQE reported that event organizers hope to grow the festival into a twice-a-year occurrence following Saturday’s turnout. For now, the inaugural Sage and Ink Book Festival stands as a one-day snapshot of a literary scene organizers say deserves more attention — and a test run for what could become a recurring fixture on Rio Rancho’s cultural calendar.
