Spring Grove Storytelling Festival Sept. 21 to feature various styles, authors, workshops

The Spring Grove Storytelling Festival, Saturday, Sept. 21, will feature storied of adventure, hope and humor. It will take place from noon to 6 p.m. Four stages under large canvas tents will offer award-winning storytellers from Chicagoland and around the country in an outdoor setting, for all ages, families and couples.

“Everyone loves to hear stories, either at bedtime or on the radio,” Artistic Director Jim May said. “This is a great opportunity to enjoy stories in an historic American Chautauqua-like experience. You will love it.”

There are separate stages for families and adults, and an open mic session so attendees can tell their own stories with encouragement from emcees. Suggested topics may include “My favorite memory of grandparents telling me stories,” funny family episodes, and perhaps, passed down through generations, stories of hardship, heroism and lost fortune as well as of tenderness and heroism.

“Some of the best stores are shared on this 'Open Mic,'” said May, an Emmy-award winning storyteller and author.

This annual festival is inspired by other outdoor storytelling events around the country that regularly draw large crowds. Spring Grove this year is expecting 400 attendees. In the past the Illinois Storytelling Festival, of which the current event is an offspring, regularly drew 2000 from 14 states to the same village park in Spring Grove.

Master storyteller and award-winning author Loren Niemi of Minneapolis will conduct a pre-festival master class from 9-11 a.m. for those who would like to study, in depth, storytelling, writing, story creation and an opportunity to tell and be critiqued at the “Open Mic” portion of the festival.

For all tickets for class and festival events, go to springrovestorytelling.org or purchase tickets at the event. Volunteers are welcome; find information on the website.