The fall season of the Arts Cafe Mystic literature and music series starts tonight with Marjory Wentworth, poet laureate of South Carolina, headlining the event. It's the ACM's 26th year.

Wentworth, a longtime advocate for human rights, writes with poignancy, insight and humor across a variety of disciplines including, beyond poetry, nonfiction and children's books. Her most recent publication is a collaboration with Kwame Alexander and Chris Colderly called "Out of Wonder: Poets Celebrating Poets." She's a New York Times bestselling author and recipient of the Coretta Scott King Award.

The evening's music will be provided by the Westerly folk group RiverFlow; all proceeds from the sale of their CD "Warmed" go to the Warm Center for the homeless in Westerly. And the program's Opening Voice is RiverFlow founder Gunilla Norris, also a poet and healer.  

This is the first Arts Cafe Mystic event under the capable stewardship of new artistic director Lisa Starr, who succeeds Christie Max Williams in the position. Starr, a Ledyard native who lives in Westerly, was a longtime member of the Arts Cafe's board of directors, is a former Rhode Island Poet Laureate, and founded the Block Island Poetry Project. Her collections include "Mad with Yellow" and "Pot Luck" and, in honor of the season and her new position, attendees can hope she reads a wonderful new tripartite piece called "Three for September."

The program starts at 7:30 p.m. and doors open at 7 p.m. at the Mystic Art Museum, 9 Water St., Mystic' $15 general admission, $5 students; theartscafemystic.org.