This weekend will see a number of storytelling events around the Region, all part of the international celebration of World Storytelling Day.
The goal is for as many people as possible to tell and listen to stories, at as many places as possible, during the same day and night.
World Storytelling Day began in Sweden and in the last ten years has grown exponentially in countries around the world.
It is the first global celebration of storytelling of its kind, and has been important in forging links between storytellers often working far apart from each other. It has also been significant in drawing public and media attention to storytelling as an art form.
As the event has grown, the day has turned into multi-day celebrations in most locations, and Waterloo Region is no exception.
This year’s theme, Water, will be explored by The Story Barn in Baden and Waterloo Region Museum, the Latitudes Festival, and Tongues Wagging Productions.
Saturday afternoon, March 19, The Waterloo Region Museum will offer a family event which will include water games, crafts, interactive activities, and storytelling by members of the Baden Storytellers’ Guild from The Story Barn in Baden. 1:00-4:00. Regular admission rates will apply.
On the evening of March 19, storytellers Glenna Janzen and Caroleigh Wehking who comprise the Cambridge company Tongues Wagging Productions will present a dinner storytelling concert titled Grand Tales in partnership with O’Keefe Cottage Cafe, 93 Grand Avenue South in Cambridge. The time is 6:30, reservations are required. Call Jeannie at 519-624-1849. Tickets are $30.
Sunday afternoon, March 20, The Baden Storytellers’ Guild will be back at the Waterloo Region Museum with stories about ghostly ships, creatures of the deep, tales of tides and transformations. The $10 ticket price will be donated to StorySave, a program of Storytellers of Canada / Conteurs du Canada which records the voices of elder Canadian storytellers and makes these living legacies available world-wide on CDs. This concert is for adults and children over twelve. Sunday, March 20, 2011. Waterloo Region Museum. 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Tickets $10.
Rounding out the weekend will be a Sunday evening performance by CBC’s Tom Allen in a concert sponsored by the Latitudes Festival. Tom and his wife, KW Symphony harpist Lori Gemmell, will perform The Crown of Ariadne, R. Murray Schafer’s dazzling musical composition for harp, combined with Tom’s telling of the Greek myth. The story – the myth of Theseus, Ariadne and the Minotaur – is a riveting tale of heroism, love at first sight, and fate.
Sunday, March 20, 7:30 p.m. Trinity United Church. 74 Frederick Street. Tickets $20. 519 272-6126 or info@latitudesfestival.com Proceeds go towards Latitudes Storytelling Festival, June 25 & 26.
Local young storytellers who want a project during March Break have one.
New Hamburg’s Upper Case Books is recognizing World Storytelling Day with a contest for kids in Grades 4 through 9. Kids are invited to write stories based on three themes — little monsters inspired by the Ugly Dolls collection, a drawing, or by expanding on the sentence, “If I hadn’t seen it come out of my nose myself, I woudn’t have believed it either.”
Stories must be a maximum of 200 words and must be submitted, dropped off or e-mailed to info@uppercasebooks.ca by Saturday, March 19.
Winners will be announced Monday and stories will be posted on Upper Case Books’ Facebook page. Book prizes will go to the winners.
Further details are available in store.
The Indy Blog 
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