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Storytelling Festival Articles

"The art of storytelling is as old as humanity. It's a reflection of the tapestry of life."
-- Storyteller Deb Swanegan

"Storytelling is an art form that transcends age, race and culture. It goes right to the heart of human experience."
-- Storyteller Bobby Norfolk

In 2009, around 15,000 listeners flocked to the 37th National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, TN. In addtion, some 200 other festivals take place in the United States each year.

The articles below describe some of these many festivals and other storytelling performances. See The Open Directory Project for links to over 50 storytelling festivals around the world.


  1. Nothing Helps us Connect More than Storytelling Packet & Times (Orillia, Ontario, Canada), March 22, 2010

  2. Sink Teeth into Stories with ‘Flesh’ KearneyHub.com (Kearney, NE), January 20, 2010

  3. Taffy Thomas Appointed First Storytelling Laureate The Guardian (Manchester, UK), November 2, 2009

  4. Festival Connects Storytelling, Peace-building Winnipeg Free Press (Winnipeg, Canada), May 6, 2009

  5. Songs of Themselves The New York Times (New York, NY), November 16, 2008

  6. Stand Up and Tell Your Story The Washington Post (Washington, D.C.), October 10, 2008

  7. In StorySlam, Strangers Go on Stage and Bare Their Souls Philadelphia Daily News (Philadelphia, PA), May 5, 2008

  8. Tell Me A Story The Tribeca Trib (New York, NY), May 2, 2008

  9. Revival of Ancient Iranian Stories Alalam News (Tehran, Iran), April 30, 2008

  10. Youngsters Enjoy a Special Story on World Storytelling Day The Shields Gazette (South Shields, UK), April 15, 2008

  11. Empathy Is What Makes Us Sane: Ira Glass at Lisner Auditorium DCist.com (Washington, DC), April 15, 2008

  12. First Storytelling Festival Weekend Comes to Close Southeast Missourian (Cape Girardeau, MO), April 7, 2008

  13. Hope for Storytelling in Blackheath News Shopper (Petts Wood, England, UK), March 12, 2008

  14. Native American Storytelling Festival This Weekend Gallup Independent (Gallup, NM) , February 12, 2008

  15. Winter Talk XX Goes North to Minnesota for Spiritual Growth and Storytelling Episcopal Life Online (New York, NY), January 25, 2008

  16. 11th Moon Storytelling Event Set for Saturday The Natchez Democrat (Natchez, MI), January 25, 2008

  17. Out of the Fray: Storytelling Web site Morphs into a Magazine San Francisco Chronicle (San Francisco, CA), January 17, 2008

  18. It's Worth Every Penny Troy Messenger (Troy, AL), January 14, 2008

  19. Pigeon Forge Storytelling Festival in Tennessee in February The Birmingham News (Birmingham, AL), January 13, 2008

  20. Festival Presents Storytelling as Theater New York Times (New York, NY) , August 5, 2007

  21. Latitudes Festival Tells a Story Waterloo Chronicle (Waterloo, Ontario, Canada), June 13, 2007

  22. Stories are Our Greatest Treasure McCook Daily Gazette (McCook, NE), June 4, 2007

  23. Stories Bring the World to City Fair Portland Press Herald (Portland, ME), June 3, 2007

  24. Piccolo Events Celebrate Art of Storytelling The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC), May 25, 2007

  25. Spinning a Yarn: Storytellers Gather in Laurinburg The Fayetteville Observer (Fayetteville, NC), May 18, 2007

  26. Plans Shaping Up for First Storytelling Festival News Courier (Athens, AL), May 18, 2007

  27. Festival to Present History From the Heart NewsOK.com (Oklahoma City, OK), May 13, 2007

  28. Connecting Generations Through the Art of Storytelling Beatrice Daily Sun (Beatrice, NE), May 4, 2007

  29. Wine and Stories Chicago Public Radio (Chicago, IL), May 1, 2007

  30. Storytellers Theatre Starts 10th Season Northern Star Online (DeKalb, IL), April 18, 2007

  31. Listen Up! The Sounds of the Mountains Music and Story Festival Roanoke Times (Roanoke, VA), April 15, 2007

  32. The Smoky Mountain Storytelling Festival Canyon News (Benedict Canyon, CA) , February 11, 2007

  33. Fairy Tales and Music on the 9.28 to Glasgow Evening Times Online (Glasgow, Scotland, UK), February 2, 2007

  34. Telling Stories in Tel Aviv The Jerusalem Post (Jerusalem, Israel), July 14, 2006

  35. Storytelling Centre Begins with Opening Ceremony Scotsman.com (Edinburgh, Scotland, UK), June 1, 2006

  36. Event Offers Peek into Tribal Culture The Press-Enterprise (Riverside, CA), March 7, 2006

  37. Annual StoryFest to Bring Passion of Storytelling to Life BYU Newsnet (Provo, UT), March 2, 2006

  38. Indigenous Cultural Affair Strengthens Ties Honolulu Star-Bulletin (Honolulu, HI), February 12, 2006

  39. Shared Tales: Storytelling Festival Winds Up with Look at Worldwide Themes Corvallis Gazette Times (Corvallis, OR), February 6, 2006

  40. Word of Mouth - The Art of Storytelling The Lumberjack Online (Humboldt, CA), February 1, 2006

  41. King's Legacy Alive and Well Union-Tribune (San Diego, CA), January 15, 2006

  42. Iraqi Tune's Return After 3000 Years Scotsman (Edinburgh, Scotland, UK), January 14, 2006

  43. Stories Give Crowd a Lift Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN), December 4, 2005

  44. Tales to be Told During Annual Storytelling Festival The Sign Post (Weber State University, Ogden, UT), November 7, 2005

  45. Some Tall Tales in Haverstraw The Journal News (Westchester, NY), October 10, 2005

  46. Tall Tales, Small Tales The State (Columbia, SC), July 22, 2005

  47. Storytellers Tell All Mason City Globe Gazette (Mason City, IA), July 21, 2005

  48. Cowboy Poets Grand Forks Herald (Grand Forks, ND), July 14, 2005

  49. African Diaspora Celebration The Journal News.com (Westchester, NY), July 10, 2005

  50. Storytellers Bring Tales to Black Mountain Asheville Citizen-Times (Asheville, NC), July 8, 2005

  51. Tellers of Tall Tales Celebrate Anniversary Hampstead and Highgate Express (London, England), June 10, 2005

  52. Storytelling All the Way Deccan Herald (Bangalore, India), June 10, 2005

  53. Native Americans Symposium Petoskey News-Review (Petoskey, MI), June 8, 2005

  54. HCC Gears Up for June 4 Anniversary Celebration Waynesville Smoky Mountain News (Waynesville, NC), May 18, 2005

  55. Storytelling Festival is Set for June McCook Daily Gazette (McCook, NE), May 13, 2005

  56. Jackson Storyfest in Its 18th Year Jackson Citizen Patriot (Jackson, MI), May 5, 2005

  57. Festival Offers Stories From Three Continents The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR), April 29, 2005

  58. Montana Storytellers Will Spin Their Yarns in Cut Bank Great Falls Tribune (Great Falls, MT), April 26, 2005

  59. Listen Here: Story Festival Spins Yarns, With a Kick Greensboro News Record (Greensboro, NC), April 24, 2005

  60. Storytelling Festival Aims to Break Down Barriers Western Mail (Cardiff, Wales, UK), April 18, 2005

  61. For the Love of Stories Winston-Salem Journal (Winston-Salem, NC), April 17, 2005

  62. A Couple's Dream Go Triad (Greensboro, NC), April 14, 2005

  63. Storytelling Festival Thursday Henderson Daily Dispatch (Henderson, NC), April 13, 2005

  64. CrossSound Festival Explores New Perspectives on Experience and Place Juneau Empire (Juneau, AK), March 31, 2005

  65. Words & Stories Pushes the Storytelling Envelope at the TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival Skipressworld - (McMasterville, Quebec, Canada), March 21, 2005

  66. 'Best Storyteller in the World' to Visit Village Theater This Weekend Canton Observer (Canton, MI), March 17, 2005

  67. Culture, Tradition Come Alive with Storytelling Minnesota Daily (Minneapolis, MN), March 7, 2005

  68. Event Offers Peek Into Tribal Culture Press-Enterprise (Riverside, CA), March 7, 2005

  69. BaoBao Festival Celebrates African Culture Boulder Daily Camera (Boulder, CO), March 6, 2005

  70. UTSA Cosponsors March 5 Storytelling Festival University of Texas at San Antonio Today (San Antonio, TX), March 4, 2005

  71. 'Waves of Compassion' Help to Wash Away the Pain Portsmouth Herald News (Portsmouth, NH), March 3, 2005

  72. Festival Shows Everyone Has a Story to Tell Concord Journal (Concord, MA), February 24, 2005

  73. Storytelling Festival Spins Again Corvallis Gazette Times (Corvallis, OR), January 29, 2005

  74. Montana Storytelling Roundup Cut Bank Pioneer Press (Cut Bank, MT), January 27, 2005

  75. Storytellers Unite for Tsunami Relief Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Atlanta, GA), January 27, 2005

  76. New Storytelling Fellowship for City Council Aberdeen City (Aberdeen, Scotland, UK), January 26, 2005

  77. African Storytellers Know the FUNdamentals of Learning Providence Journal (Providence, RI), January 20, 2005

  78. Storytelling Festival Begins Monday Grand Island Independent (Grand Island, NE), January 13, 2005

  79. Students Have Talent for Tales St. George Daily Spectrum (St. George, UT), November 24, 2004

  80. Long, Long Ago... But Not in Singapore Electric New Paper (Singapore), November 23, 2004

  81. Using Their Words to Paint Pictures Dallas Morning News (Dallas, TX), November 20, 2004

  82. Storytellers Weave Their Yarns at Waipio Festival Honolulu Star-Bulletin (Honolulu, HI), November 19, 2004

  83. Fables, Myths, History Twirl into Storytelling Art The Wichita Eagle (Wichita, KS), November 19, 2004

  84. Nationwide Celebration of Stories Returns to Juneau Juneau Empire (Juneau, Alaska), November 18, 2004

  85. Once Upon a Time... Sunday Times (Johannesburg, South Africa), November 14, 2004

  86. Cowboy to Spin a Few Tall Tales for CultureFest Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ), November 12, 2004

  87. Ramadan Cultural Panorama in Cairo Islam Online (UK), November 9, 2004

  88. Long Ago, Far Away Common Ground.ca (Canada), November 2004

  89. Top Storytellers to Spin Their Tales at WSU Campus Salt Lake Tribune (Salt Lake City, UT), October 26, 2004

  90. A Success Story Worth Telling The Herald (Glasgow, Scotland), October 25, 2004

  91. Storyteller Brenda Wong Aoki Gains Strength from Traditional Ghost Stories San Francisco Chronicle (San Francisco, CA), October 23, 2004

  92. Three Apples Storytelling Festival Blooms Harvard Post (Harvard, MA), October 22, 2004

  93. Yarn-spinners Come to Mesa The Arizona Republic, October 18, 2004

  94. Storytellers Bring Memories to Life Honolulu Advertiser (Honolulu, HI), October 18, 2004

  95. Fun Fest Adds Chapter Gary-Post Tribune (Gary, IN), October 18, 2004

  96. Event Shows Power of Stories The Saginaw News (Saginaw, MI), October 17, 2004

  97. Storytelling Festival has Unique Tales to Share Honolulu Star-Bulletin (Honolulu, HA), October 15, 2004

  98. Library Announces Storytelling Fest Sentinel (East Brunswick, NY), October 14, 2004

  99. Stories Are the Best Source of Who We Are Naples Daily News (Naples, FL), October 10, 2004

  100. The Laughter Tells the Tale LA Times, October 10, 2004

  101. Storytelling Festival Returns to Ocean Springs The Mississippi Press (Ocean Springs, MI), October 10, 2004

  102. Chicago Teller Entertains Festival with Silent Stories Bristol Herald Courier (Bristol, VA), October 2, 2004

  103. Spin a Yarn in Jonesborough The City Paper (Nashville, TN), September 27, 2004

  104. Scary Tales to be Told Polkonline.com (Polk County, FL), September 26, 2004

  105. Did you hear the one about the ... ? Peoria Journal Star (Peoria, IL), September 26, 2004

  106. Step Right Up: Something for Everybody Richmond Times-Dispatch (Richmond, VA), September 23, 2004

  107. Sound and Fury, Signifying Much Minnesota Daily (University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN), September 23, 2004

  108. Festival Becoming Word-of-Mouth Hit The Montgomery Advertiser (Montgomery, AL), September 23, 2004

  109. Storytelling Festival Begins KIFI (Idaho Falls, ID), September 23, 2004

  110. Storytellers Go Traditional, Teach More than Folklore The Fayetteville Observer (Fayetteville, NC), September 20, 2004

  111. National Pride: The National Museum of the American Indian Opens on the Mall The Washington Post, September 17, 2004

  112. Nanticoke Powwow: Weekend of Stories and Dancing Sussex Post (Sussex County, DE), September 17, 2004

  113. Storytellers Share Great Tales at The Detroit Story League's 22nd Annual Storytelling Festival The Detroit News (Detroit, MI), September 17, 2004

  114. Storytellers Spin Very Adult Yarns at New Festival The Oregonian (Portland, OR), September 16, 2004

  115. Grab a Good Yarn in Summerside The Journal-Pioneer (Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Canada), September 11, 2004

  116. Stories By the Sea Festival Newport News Times (Newport, Oregon), September 10, 2004

  117. Tell Us a Story La Crosse Tribune (La Crosse, WI), September 7, 2004

  118. Indian Summer Days At Audubon Acres Chattanoogan.com (Chattanooga, TN), September 1, 2004

  119. Tall Tales, True Tales KentuckyLiving Magazine, September, 2004

  120. Entertainers Come From Distant Lands for Event Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, August 10, 2004

  121. Stories to be Told Aberdeen News (Aberdeen, SD), August 5, 2004

  122. County Fair Will Feature Pow-wow Cheboygan Daily Tribune (Cheboygan, MI), August 4, 2004

  123. Across the Land, Plots are Thickening LA Times, July 29, 2004

  124. Tribes Revisit Their Roots at La Fete des Indiens Houma The Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA), July 25, 2004

  125. They've Got a Lot to Tell Register-Pajaronian (Watsonville, CA), July 23, 2004

  126. The Magic of a Story Daily Record (Morris County, NJ), July 16, 2004

  127. Schoolhouse Brings Sierra Storytelling Festival Back The Union (Western Nevada County, CA), July 15, 2004

  128. Gullah's Story Worth Telling The Island Packet (Hilton Head Island, SC), July 12, 2004

  129. African Festival Has Story to Tell About Traditions The Journal News (Westchester County, NY), July 9, 2004

  130. Wherever You Go, People Want to Bend Your Ear The Times (London, England), June 28, 2004

  131. Choctaw Storytelling Camp Native Times News, June 17, 2004

  132. Storytelling: Rediscovering Our Fables, Folk Tales and Midwest Heritage Midwest Living, April, 2004

  133. Just Sit Right Back and You'll Hear a Tale; St. Louis Storytelling Festival Turns a New Page St Louis Post-Dispatch, April 29, 2004

  134. I'll Tell You a Story! Texas Highways, March, 2004

  135. Time For Once Upon a Time US News & World Report, October 27, 2003

  136. Even in a High-Tech World, Storytellers Can Still Spin a Good Yarn Chicago Tribune Online Edition, July, 2003


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If you know of articles which should be included in this collection, please email them to kate@katedudding.com.