Tall Tales

Performers To Spin Yarns During Annual Storytelling Festival On Oct. 3-5

Listen to an interview with Jimmy Neil Smith.

JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. – Minton Sparks wants to tell you a story.
So do Beth Horner, Tim Tingle and Kevin Kling.
Oh, you can put Erica Lann-Clark and Elizabeth Ellis on that list of tale-spinners, too.
All are performers coming to Jonesborough, Tenn. for the 36th Annual National Storytelling Festival, held this weekend and running Oct. 3-5.
Annually, the National Storytelling Festival attracts about 10,000 people to Jonesborough for all-day outdoor programs under tents, plus late-night performances for adults, ghost story concerts and events geared for all ages.
Names on the marquee this year include Waddie Mitchell, famous for his cowboy poetry; Carmen Agra Deedy, beloved for her razor-sharp wit; and Doug Elliott, who is known for singing about catfish or pontificating about possums.
Generally, this year’s festival will be similar to previous years, said Jimmy Neil Smith, the festival’s founder.
“There’s a certain sameness – a sameness in routine, in schedule, in quality,” Smith said. “But each festival has its own unique feel. So what we’re doing is doing what we do best, year after year.”

FAN FAVORITES
Little more than 60 people turned out in 1973 for the first National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, when it was held on the steps of the Washington County Courthouse.
Over the years, some performers have become fan favorites.
One is Donald Davis, who lives at Ocracoke, N.C., but now often reflects on his early years, growing up in the mountains of North Carolina. Davis spins Jack tales, speaks of scary mountain lore and tells true-to-life stories of his neighbors and kin.
Another performer on the forever-favorites list is Kathryn Tucker Windham, the author of 24 books. Known for her folksy tales dripping with the charms of her home in Alabama, Windham is an accomplished playwright and a popular television and radio personality.
In more recent years, the festival has also attracted a new generation of storytellers.
Like Bil Lepp.
A resident of Charleston, W.Va., Lepp is performing his stories that range from the kitchen of a small-town Kentucky Fried Chicken to his mythical “Blue Truck.”
Some are tall tales. All are humorous and have helped Lepp become a five-time champion of the West Virginia Liars’ Contest.

‘EXPERIENCE THAT’S PERSONAL’
Expect ghost tales late at night, 8-10 p.m., on Friday and Saturday at this year’s festival.
Also on the schedule are stories suited strictly for adults at the “Midnight Cabaret,” starting at 10:30 p.m., with Friday’s show starring comedian Andy Offutt Irwin and Saturday’s event featuring Judith Black.
In all, the festival offers more than 100 hours of entertainment and performances by more than 24 storytellers.
Attendees, said spokeswoman Carla Papy, will typically range from schoolteachers and corporate executives to aspiring storytellers and families.
“What they appreciate is the excellence of talent that they have come to expect,” said Susan O’Connor, the festival’s director of programs. “And they are very much appreciative of the Town of Jonesborough.”
For many coming to the tents spread across the downtown corridor, the festival has become an annual tradition.
“Everybody who comes can gain an experience that’s personal to them,” Smith said. “And, I’ll guarantee you, they’ll have a good time.”

YOU SHOULD KNOW
What: National Storytelling Festival
Where: Jonesborough, Tenn.
When: Oct. 3-5
How much: Friday and Saturday admission is $100 (adults), $90 (children ages 6-12) and $95 (for those over 65). Sunday’s admission is $45 (adults), $35 (children ages 6-12) and $40 (for those over 65).
Passes for the full weekend are $150 (adults); $130 )children ages 6-12); and $135 (for those over 65).
Ghost story concerts for all ages (except children under 6) on Friday and Saturday, 8-10 p.m., are $10. Midnight Cabaret (not recommended for children) on Friday and Saturday, 10:30 p.m.-midnight, is $15 for adults.
Info: (800) 952-8392
Web: www.storytellingcenter.net