Tremendous Tales

Much like stories themselves, the St. Louis Storytelling Festival has been passed down through the years to offer insights into the world in which we live, to entertain us and to promote the old tradition of telling stories. Celebrating its 32nd year, the festival is held at venues around town and features stuff for the kids, tales for families and evenings out especially for adults. At 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 5, for instance, catch a number of raconteurs spinning yarns for grown folks across the St. Louis area, including at Borders in Brentwood (1519 South Brentwood Boulevard), at Foam Coffee & Beer (3359 South Jefferson Avenue) and at the Faust Park barn (15185 Olive Boulevard, Chesterfield) — this last locale features ghost stories specifically. There's even a storytelling concert at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on the University of Missouri-St. Louis campus (1 University Drive at Natural Bridge Road) at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 7, during which you'll have the opportunity to hear some of the best share their best. The fest runs from Wednesday through Saturday (May 4 through 7), and in addition to the venues mentioned, many other local attractions and historic sites host storytellers (e.g., Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site and the Missouri Botanical Garden). Visit www.stlstorytellingfestival.org for a full schedule, and note: All events are free!
May 4-7, 2011