Tall tales told here: Regional storytelling activities

Festivals, Events, and Performances

• Feed & Seed Storytelling Series: Living in a Multicultural Community 
— Saturdays, June 13, Sept. 12 and Nov. 21, 4 p.m. in Fletcher. Focusing on diversity, this series is part of the Henderson County Arts Council’s Storytelling Education & Arts Program. The storyteller at the June 13 event is Freeman Owle, a Qualla Boundary Cherokee who will tell stories about Native Americans in Cherokee. feedandseednc.com

• Black Box Storytelling Theater — 
David Joe Miller at Buffalo Nickel Restaurant in West Asheville on Wednesday, June 24, 7:30 p.m.; open mic at New Mountain SOL Bar on 
Monday, June 29, 7 p.m.;  Kristin Pedemonti, Chuck Fink and Busker Ginnie Waite at New Mountain SOL Bar on Monday, July 27, 7 p.m.;  Kim Weitkamp and Kathy Gordon at New Mountain SOL Bar on 
Monday, Aug. 10, at 7 p.m. facebook.com/blackboxstorytellingtheater

• Ongoing performances at the International Storytelling Center (Jonesborough, Tenn.) — Matinee performances by the teller-in-residence, 
Tuesday-Sunday at 2 p.m. 
Evening performances, children’s performances and workshops are also scheduled throughout the year. 
See website for calendar of events. storytellingcenter.net

• Shine, Baby, Shine: A one-woman play — Storytelling performance by Dottie Jean Kirk at The Altamont Theatre on Thursday, July 9, 7 p.m. thealtamont.com/shine

• Toe River Storytelling Festival — 
In its 17th year, the annual festival will feature performances by Tim Lowry, Donna Marie Todd and Donna Washington. It’s held at Bowman Middle School in Bakersville on Saturday, July 11, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. toeriverstorytelling.org

• Stories on Asheville’s Front Porch — Downtown storytelling series at Diana Wortham Theatre’s Rhino Courtyard (inside if raining); held Saturdays, July 11-Aug. 8, 10:15 a.m.-noon; Fundraising show for Stories on Asheville’s Front Porch held at UNC Asheville’s Reuter Center. Performers include Dr. Joseph Sobol, head of the master’s degree program in storytelling at Eastern Tennessee State University, and David Joe Miller, founder of the Jonesborough Storytellers Guild. Held Thursday, Aug. 20, 7:15 p.m. $10 suggested donation. facebook.com/storiesonashevillesfrontporch


• National Storytelling Festival — 
at the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough, Tenn., Friday-Sunday, Oct. 2-4. storytellingcenter.net

• Tellabration 
— A global storytelling event hosted by the Asheville Storytelling Circle, held at the Asheville Folk Arts Center on Sunday, Nov. 22, 3-5 p.m. avl.mx/0z4

Classes, Retreats and Circles

• Asheville Storytelling Circle — Swap stories and share tales. Held at Asheville Terrace, 200 Tunnel Road, every third Monday of the month (except in August and December), 7 p.m. ashevillestorycircle.org

• “A Widow’s Tale” retreat 
 — Donna Marie Todd leads a one-day retreat for widowed women to share their stories. Held at Christmount Conference Center, Black Mountain, on Saturday, June 13, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. donnamarietodd.com/a-widows-tale-retreats

• Storytellers’ Wild Week — A workshop by Dianne Hackworth at Wildacres Retreat Center in Little Switzerland. Participants will examine ways to incorporate folk tales into their storytelling. 
Sunday, June 28, to Saturday, July 4. wildacres.org

• Classes at John C. Campbell Folk School — 
Basic Techniques of Telling, Sunday, June 28, to Saturday, July 4; 
Women’s Stories, Friday, July 10, to Sunday, July 12; Native American Storytelling, Friday, Oct. 30, to Sunday, Nov. 1; Old Stories — Rewritten and Renewed, 
Sunday, Nov. 15, to Friday, Nov. 20. classes.folkschool.org

• Storytelling workshop with Michael Reno Harrell — Learn the elements of a good story at the Blowing Rock Museum on 
Saturday, July 11, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. avl.mx/0z5

• 10th annual storytelling retreat and adventure with Connie Regan-Blake — Workshop for all levels of storytellers, includes practice, performance and coaching. 
Sunday, July 12, to Saturday, July 18. storywindow.com