Midwest Literary Walk Returns to Chelsea for 18th Year

Book lovers gathered across Chelsea on Saturday for the Midwest Literary Walk, an annual celebration of literature.

Organized by the Chelsea District Library, the event brought readers to venues around town for a day of author talks, conversation and community. Virginia Krueger, head of marketing and outreach for the library, said this year marked the event’s 18th year.

New this year, the day began at the Purple Rose Theatre Company with the New Works Comedy Fest before continuing with author sessions elsewhere in Chelsea. Registration for the in-person comedy event filled up, and a Zoom webinar option was also available.

Among the featured speakers was Nathan Pyle, creator of the “Strange Planet” webcomic and Apple TV+ series. Pyle’s session drew a younger crowd than some of the day’s other events. During his talk, he joked that he was excited to be in Chelsea because “at least one percent” of him is Jiffy cornbread muffin mix.

He also invited guests to doodle with him, adding an interactive element to the session. Afterward, attendees lined up to have books signed.

Author Carmen Bugan also took part in the event. Library promotional materials describe Bugan as a George Orwell Prize Fellow and award-winning writer based in Chelsea. During her session, she read poetry from her work, offering a quieter and more reflective moment in the day’s lineup. She also brought her daughter, an aspiring journalist, to the event. Her memoir, Burying the Typewriter, explores her childhood in Romania and her family’s eventual move to the United States.

Chris La Tray, an Anishinaabe/Métis storyteller and citizen of the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians, was also part of the day’s author lineup. La Tray served as Montana’s poet laureate from 2023 to 2025. His memoir, Becoming Little Shell: A Landless Indian’s Journey Home, explores family history and the broader history of Indigenous communities.

Library staff said people attending by Zoom appreciated being able to hear audience reactions during the event.

The Midwest Literary Walk continued a Chelsea tradition of bringing readers and writers together at venues across town.

Featured image: Nathan Pyle speaks during the Midwest Literary Walk in Chelsea on Saturday. Photo by Heather Finch