National Storytelling Festival, October 2-4, 2015

From Bradley Hanson, Director of Folklife — 

Now in its 43rd year, the National Storytelling Festival in historic Jonesborough is acclaimed as one of the Top 100 Events in North America. The oldest and most prestigious event of its kind in the world, the Festival helped spark a renaissance of storytelling in America and led to the founding of the National Storytelling Association.

The annual Festival, held during the first weekend of October, is the premiere event for the International Storytelling Center. This year’s program will include the midnight cabaret, the story slam, a storytelling theater and more. Performances from over 30 world-class storytellers will be given throughout the weekend in settings that include intimate theater spaces as well as tents seating 1600 people.

Portions of the festival’s opening day, October 2, will be live streamed from 10 a.m.–10 p.m. EST (9 a.m.—9 p.m. CST). These events will include performances of tall tales, Asian folktales, American Sign Language, African-American historical narratives, Caribbean and West African stories, and personal stories from master tellers in the Family Tent. Click here to access the live video.

The Festival grounds are located at 117 Boone Street, Jonesborough, TN.

Download and print a complete Festival schedule here. 

Click here to pre-register, or purchase tickets at the Festival Registration starting October 1.