For seven years, the English Department has put together a showcase of student work.

It’s called the English Festival.

This year’s event, “Wordstock: Two Days of Text, Fun and Rock ‘n’ Roll,” will be Wednesday and Thursday in Davies Center.

There are 25 students, of all ages and majors, working on the events for the festival all year long.

Jack Bushnell, adviser and associate professor of English, said he is impressed by the students’ efforts.

“Every year, I’m always extremely proud of them and honored,” he said. “(The) quality is very high.”

Bushnell said the English Festival has something for everybody. They talk about everything from film, music, art, comic books, performances and discussion groups to scientific, political, literary and artistic texts, he said.

With such a wide variety of panel discussions offered during the festival, coordinator and junior Aaron Muther said it may open some students’ eyes to a new topic.

“They may find something they didn’t think they were interested in before, but now they have an overview of it and may think it’s more interesting,” Muther said.

Starting off the festival is a panel at 9 a.m. Wednesday in the Badger Room titled, “Redefining the Cowboy Archetype: An Examination of Clint Eastwood’s Career.”

A discussion called “Deconstructing Disney: A Debate” will take place from 1 to 1:50 p.m. in the Potawatomi Room.

New to this year’s festival is a guest author who will participate in many events throughout the festival. Poet, essayist and editor Ray Gonzalez will teach a creative writing workshop from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Alumni Room. Muther said Gonzalez would encourage students to bring a piece of their writing with them, however it is not required.

Throughout the day, Gonzalez will also be dropping in on various English classes as a guest speaker, Muther said.

Gonzalez will also give a speech titled “Self Confidence and the Writer” from 7 to 8 p.m. in Schofield Auditorium. A reception will follow in the President’s Room.

From 8 to 4:50 p.m. on Thursday, the Clearwater Room will be transformed to the English Game Room.

From noon to 12:50 p.m., the panel of “Heinous Bitches Throughout the Ages: ‘Taming’ in 10 Things I Hate About You” and “The Taming of the Shrew” will be in the Wisconsin Room. The film, “The Taming of the Shrew,” will be shown from 3:30 to 4 p.m. in Davies Theatre.

“Lyrical Literacy: The Transformation of Rap into Literature” will be presented from 6 to 6:50 p.m. in the Potawatomi Room.

In collaboration with that discussion, the band Mel Gibson and the Pants will give a free performance from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in Schofield Auditorium.

Other events that will take place include: the Sigma Tau Delta book sale, student art sale, capstone presentations and a raffle featuring prizes donated from local organizations.

“I hope people will come and enjoy this pop culture that we’re trying to celebrate,” said junior Christa Knott-Dufresne, fund-raising coordinator.

“It’s a great opportunity for English students to show off what we do in the English studies,” Bushnell said.