Two different events will highlight the Central Coast’s literary history this weekend: the Dunite Days in Oceano, and an anniversary party for Jack Kerouac in Big Sur.
Both the Dunites and Jack Kerouac are part of the Central Coast’s artistic history of the 20th century.
Dunite Days highlights the artists’ colony active on the dunes there in the first part of the last century. There were only a few dozen of them, but the Dunites included writers, mystics, and artists who lived in cabins on the dunes.
Norm Hammond is a historian of the Dunites, and says this weekend’s displays will highlight not only their art but also one of their cabins, called Moy Mell.
"It means 'pastures of honey,'" Hammond said. "It's a place reserved in Gaelic Irish heaven for poets."
Hammond said he hopes seeing Moy Mell at Dunite Days will inspire visitors to learn more about the Dunites and their history.
"I think it's a little adventure, a little journey back into a different time period — I won't say it was a better time period, but it's definitely different. And that to me is a big adventure," Hammond said.
Another big adventure will begin this weekend, focused on Jack Kerouac. He’s one of the most famous writers of the Beat movement, and he spent time on the Central Coast in places like San Luis Obispo.
But Kerouac's most famous work about this area is his novel "Big Sur." Jerry Cimino, founder of the Beat Museum in San Francisco, will be holding an anniversary party at the Henry Miller Memorial Library for Jack Kerouac’s birthday 100 years ago.
"It's going to be a gathering, and it also corresponds with our national tour. We're calling it Kerouac@100," he said.
Cimino says Kerouac@100’s stop at Henry Miller in Big Sur is just the first in the national tour highlighting Kerouac and his work.
"People can follow our journey as we're traveling, and we're really looking forward to bringing Jack' spirit across America. We've done it before we're doing it again," he said.
Dunite Days is this Saturday and Sunday at the Oceano Depot. The Kerouac anniversary party is Sunday only at the Henry Miller Memorial Library in Big Sur.
