The Margins Book Festival is the handiwork of the Denver-based literary arts organization Word: A Storytelling Sanctuary, founded in 2016 by Viniyanka Prasad, a criminal defense attorney. The Word places BIPOC writers with publishing professionals so that authors can find a path to sharing the stories that speak to and of them and deepen our broader cultural conversations. Headlining the upcoming festival are authors R.O. Kwon, Karla Cornejo Villavicencio and Aaliyah Bilal. This year’s installment of the two-day festival will unfurl on the Santa Fe Arts District corridor. Admission is free; passes are encouraged.

Laura Pritchett’s book tour for her newest novel, Three Keys, arrives at Maria’s Bookshop in Durango on Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. “How could I not adore a book featuring a strong, feisty, fifty-something woman, who despite being widowed, unemployed, and empty-nested, goes out on the road to break into three very different homes she just happens to have the keys to? Audacious and inspiring …” — Caroline Leavitt, author of Pictures of You. To learn more about Maria’s, visit the website at https://www.mariasbookshop.com.

Reading Den is a curated monthly reading series that features notable published authors as well as emerging writers bursting onto Colorado’s literary scene. It is currently hosted at Fort Greene Bar. Next installment is on September 25. The event is free to the public and begins at 7 p.m. Registration is encouraged.

Join Phi Theta Kappa and The Latino Alliance in collaboration with CALMA for Thoughtful Thursdays: Power of Stories, an evening of inspiration, enchantment and empowerment through bilingual poetry and storytelling that celebrates Chicana culture. The event at the Pikes Peak State College Downtown Campus, Colorado Springs, will feature Latin appetizers and music, bilingual poetry reading and MC Dr. Ricardo Bogaert-Alvarez. Parking is available in the lot north of the downtown campus. For more info, contact mjustiniano4@student.cccs.edu.

Western Colorado Writers Forum, in collaboration with Carboy Winery, brings you this monthly open mic program. Signup starts at 4:15; open mic from 4:30-6 p.m. Five- to seven-minute time limit. Poetry, prose, storytelling and slam. No purchase required to attend.

Writing in Color Fest is an annual event whose mission is “to paint a more authentic, inclusive and vibrant literary landscape—one that honors the unique stories and perspective of Black, Indigenous and People of Color.” This year’s theme is Say It Loud! BIPOC includes but it not limited to: African, Indigenous, Native, Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander, Arab and Multiracial heritage. Learn more at https://lighthousewriters.org/writing-color-fest