Nearly 30 years ago, two pals, Christie Max Williams and Albert Kausch, began hosting local and casual spoken-word gatherings based on their shared love of contemporary American poetry. As the events began to attract larger and loyal audiences, they were formalized as the Arts Café Mystic with an ongoing residency in the Mystic Museum of Art.

With the formal stewardship of the ACM’s original artistic director, Melanie Greenhouse, a dazzling array of local and national poets participated in the series. Williams took over as director for 15 years and the Café further blossomed. Lisa Star is the latest to lead the program, and the latest presentation takes place Friday.

Headlining? Why, Williams, whose first collection of poetry, “The Wages of Love,” published earlier this year, won the William Meredith Prize for Poetry.

It’s only appropriate that Kausch will be the evening’s Opening Voice. Now an esteemed writer and plant biologist, he’s the author of several books, scholarly papers and essays.

And Lara Herscovitch, the former Connecticut State Troubadour, provides the musical component.

Christie Max Williams, Arts Café Mystic, 7:30 p.m. Friday, doors 7 p.m., Mystic Museum of Art, 9 Water St., Mystic; $15 door, $5 students; www,theartscafemystic.org, (401) 241-2592.