Welcome to the STORY! Festival's new website!

September 16-19, 2010

This site sponsored in part by

Our STORY!

Once upon a time… Storytellers Michael Cotter and Bev Jackson-Cotter, from Austin Minnesota, were on route to the Iowa State Fair on I-35. They were

talking about how much Iowans embrace storytelling and how there really should be a Storytelling Festival somewhere in Iowa. They were thinking about places they knew and discussing “where would be the perfect fit” when they drove past Story City. It had to be here!

The Cotters’ went on to the Iowa State Fair and asked other story tellers if they knew anyone from Story City. It wasn’t long before Dick Layman of WHO radio contacted business owner Sue Ernest. Sue reached out to others she knew would be interested in putting together a festival of  this sort.

Story City’s long standing tradition of live theater with Judge Story’s Theatrical Troupe, made a storytelling festival a natural extension of the art scene, already alive and well here in town. So a group of local residents and the storytellers began the hard work of producing a festival. It took a few years of planning, but the creation of a STORY! Board and a local guild, made STORY! Celebrating the Art of Storytelling a reality in 2006.

2009 will be our fourth annual STORY! and we are 
so proud of the Cotter’s vision becoming a reality, 
so we can share not only our love of storytelling, 
but also our love of this wonderful town, with all 
who come to Celebrate STORY! with us!

And the STORY! Continues…..

Schedule

Schedule

Click Here for a printable PDF copy.

Tellers

Antonio Sacre - who was born to a Cuban father and Irish-American mother, is an internationally touring writer, storyteller, and solo performance artist based in Los Angeles. He has performed at the Library of Congresses National Storytelling Festival, and museums, schools, libraries, and festivals internationally. Since 1994, he has taught drama, storytelling, and writing to teachers and students nationwide, and worked as an artist in residence with youth in four inner city high schools of South Central Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago. He is an acclaimed keynote speaker for diversity trainings across the country.

Pippa White - left her previous STORY! audiences wanting more, so we are pleased to welcome her back. Pippa calls her One’s Company Productions “part theatre, part history.” Audiences call her stories unique, captivating, and touching. She has performed at colleges, conferences, museums, libraries, festivals, and performing arts centers. For eight consecutive years, she was featured at the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines in their Applause Program, the only artist with this distinction. Welcome back Pippa!

Tim Tingle – is an enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, a sought-after speaker and storyteller, and an award-winning author. An avid collector of tribal stories, Tim brings Native American folklore to life in lively historical, personal, and traditional stories.  He plays the Native American flute and often accompanies himself with an assortment of gourd rattles and drums, adding a haunting dimension to a concert. Vocable chants and hymns sung in the Choctaw language also complement his stories. Tim has performed as a featured teller in festivals in thirty-five states, including the National Storytelling Festival.

Charlotte Blake Alston – is a Philadelphia-based storyteller, narrator and singer whose interest in literature, the oral tradition, and the arts began in childhood. After 21 years of teaching from preschool through graduate levels, she chose to devote more time to touring and performing. Charlotte breathes life into traditional and contemporary stories from  African and African American oral and cultural traditions. Her performances are often enhanced with instruments such as djembe, berimbau, nkoning, mbira, shekere, or the 21-stringed kora.

About Story City

Story City offers the best of small town life while being only minutes away from Iowa State University. This progressive Main Street Community offers a quality mix of shopping, restaurants, and recreational opportunities. A variety of year-round festivals and events enhance the quality of life and offer a unique glimpse into Story City's history and preservation ethic.

Story City is a thriving business and industrial community with plenty of old world charm. Shoppers from miles around find just what they are looking for in our bustling downtown business district or at the nearby Factory Stores of America outlet mall. Visitors are invited to relax by the pool, enjoy the challenging and beautiful nine-hole golf course or play a rousing game of tennis. Appetites can be satisfied at a wide variety of restaurants, and visitors can choose from modern, quaint, or outdoor accommodations.

For more information please visit our website www.storycity.net

Call or e-mail Story City GCC at 515-733-4214, chamber@storycity.net.

Accommodations

STORY! Stops

2009 Stops

2010 Stops are still in planning

Family Tent

This page is coming soon!

This page is coming soon!