National Storytelling Festival facts for kids

The National Storytelling Festival is a super fun event where people share amazing stories! It happens every year during the first full weekend of October in Jonesborough, Tennessee. This festival is held at the International Storytelling Center. It was started in 1973 by a high school journalism teacher named Jimmy Neil Smith. Over the years, it has grown into a huge festival, famous across the United States and even around the world!

How the Festival Started

In 1973, a high school teacher named Jimmy Neil Smith was driving with some students. They heard a famous storyteller, Jerry Clower, on the radio. He was telling a funny story about hunting raccoons in Mississippi. This story gave Mr. Smith a great idea: "Why not start a storytelling festival?"

So, in October 1973, the very first National Storytelling Festival took place in Jonesborough, Tennessee. It was a small start! People sat on hay bales, and wagons were used as stages. There were only about 60 people in total, including both the storytellers and the audience.

Growing the Storytelling Community

Just two years after the first festival, Mr. Smith created an organization. It was first called the National Association for the Preservation and Perpetuation of Storytelling (NAPPS). This group helped storytelling become popular again in America.

Later, in 1994, the name was shortened to the National Storytelling Association (NSA). Then, in 1998, the NSA split into two new groups:

• The National Storytelling Network (NSN)
• The International Storytelling Center (ISC)

Today, the International Storytelling Center (ISC) helps people understand how powerful stories can be. They show how ancient storytelling traditions can make life better at home, at work, and everywhere. The National Storytelling Network (NSN) is a group that connects people who love storytelling.

In 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival was held online. This way, people could still enjoy stories safely from their homes!

What Happens at the Festival

The International Storytelling Center organizes this exciting three-day outdoor festival. It features performances by storytellers from all over the world! The festival has been going on for almost 50 years. Each year, nearly 11,000 people come to listen. Many school groups also attend as a fun learning experience.

Storytelling in Appalachia

The festival celebrates the strong storytelling traditions found in the Appalachian Mountains. The event takes place under big circus tents spread out across Jonesborough. Storytellers sit on stages or at the front of the tent to share their tales. There are usually five or six tents close together. This makes it easy for visitors to walk from one tent to another and enjoy many different performances.

Famous Storytellers and Young Talent

Many famous storytellers have performed at the festival over the years. Some of them include Pete Seeger, Carmen Agra Deedy, Jay O'Callahan, Donald Davis, Syd Lieberman, Andy Offutt Irwin, Sheila Kay Adams, and Kathryn Tucker Windham.

The festival also encourages young storytellers! It showcases talented kids and winners from the National Youth Storytelling Showcase. The festival has even inspired a special college program. Nearby East Tennessee State University now offers a graduate degree in storytelling!