Local News
Plans shaping up for first storytelling festival
Five of the country’s leading storytellers will appear at the First Annual Spirit of Athens Storytelling Festival the last weekend of October.
According to organizer Wayne Kuykendall, the lineup will include: Donald Davis, North Carolina; Andy Offut Irwin, Atlanta; Carmen Deedy, Decatur, Ga.; Bil Lepp, West Virginia, and Kathryn Windham, Selma.
“These are some of the nation’s best,” said Kuykendall. “They will be doing two performances Friday and two performances Saturday. There are no repeats of any stories.”
Organizers will set up a tent to seat 1,500 on Marion Street.
All storytellers, except Windham will arrive early for special storytelling sessions Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 24 and 25, for all school children in grades 4 through 8 in city and county schools, plus private and home-schooled students.
Group Dekko Foundation is underwriting the cost of students’ tickets.
On Thursday night, Windham will appear at McCandless Auditorium of Athens State University to discuss her life as a storyteller.
Tickets are $30 for the entire Oct. 26-27 weekend, and for a single-day ticket it will be $20. A special ghost storytelling will be at Big Spring Park Friday night, which will cost $5 per ticket.
Elizabeth McDowell, who is coordinating volunteers for the event, said creating the calico cloth tickets for the event has become a community effort. Volunteer Genoa Perry cut two bolts of calico into strips on her kitchen table.
Volunteers Nelvea Reed and Annie Bell Clem will cut the strips into 2-inch squares. Roy Patton’s Boy Scout troop will affix the squares with safety pins. Those buying individual day tickets get one color of square to pin on and those buying weekend tickets get another color.
McDowell said the volunteers are making some 5,000 tickets.
Charter Communications is the corporate sponsor for the event.
For more information, visit www.AthensStorytellingFestival.com.
- Local News
-
- Labor Day holiday closings
-
Athens State to open Center for Lifelong Learning on Courthouse Square
Athens State University’s Center for Lifelong Learning is scheduled to open in early 2011 to serve as an educational and social outlet for all members of the community. It will be located in the former Boys & Girls Clubhouse building on the east side of the Limestone County Courthouse Square,
-
Democratic Ag candidate promises to protect water
Democratic state Commissioner of Agriculture candidate Glen Zorn says it is vital for the continued economic growth of the state to have comprehensive plans to protect water resources.
Zorn was in town Wednesday making the rounds to get his party’s message out. -
Governor Riley will be guest at Athens mayor’s statehouse campaign kickoff
Alabama Gov. Bob Riley has agreed to help launch Athens Mayor Dan Williams’ campaign for the District 5 seat in the state House of Representatives.
-
Cars on Square proceeds benefit hospital, recreation
The third annual Cars on the Square not only drew large crowds to Athens this June, but also raised $5,400.
-
Team effort key in child-abuse prosecution system
An African proverb says, “It takes a village to raise a child,” but it takes a multidisciplinary team of law enforcement and social agencies to treat childhood victims of sex abuse and to prosecute pedophiles.
-
Ball to promote regional tourism
County Clerk-Administrator Pam Ball has been appointed to fill a seat on the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association board of directors.
-
Athens State honors longtime employees at University In-Service
At Athens State’s In-Service meeting on Thursday, Aug. 19, the institution recognized employees who have served the university for 5, 10, 20, 25, 30 and 35 years.
-
60-year tradition continues at the Dog Days Flea Market
The dog days of summer may be coming to a close, but there’s no end in site for the Dog Days Flea Market in Ardmore.
-
Ardmore man inducted to Seniors Hall of Fame
John Wesley Eubanks of Ardmore was inducted as one of the newest members of the Alabama Senior Citizens Hall of Fame.
- More Local News Headlines
