The 16th Annual Athens, AL Storytelling Festival kicks off this week beginning today, Oct. 18, with stories of life, legends, and lies in the tent

The festival will take place on the campus of Athens State University behind Sandridge Hall for the first time this year.

This is a family friendly festival offering a diversity of storytellers.

Storyteller Donald Davis

Davis is a returning Storyteller from North Carolina where he he was born into a family of traditional storytellers who have inhabited the same plot of land since 1781.

Storyteller Bil Lepp

Lepp has authored six books and sixteen audio collections earning him recognition from the National Storytelling Festival 15 times.

Storyteller Josh Goforth

Goforth is the 3 times great grandson of Madison County fiddler Asbury Devitt and has been musically inclined since his early childhood years, having begun to learn guitar shortly after sixth grade. He played the piano in church as early as the age of four. He proceeded to learn at least 10 instruments by ear.

Storyteller Dolores Hydock

Hydock is a native of Pennsylvania native and regards Birmingham as her home. A five-year-old Hydock took the stage of the Reading storytelling competition and earned a blue ribbon. Since then she has wrote numerous plays and produced 10 award-winning CDs.

Numerous student storytellers from Athens City Schools and Limestone County Schools will perform throughout this week at the storytelling festival.

Student storytellers Athens City Schools:

Ward Shannon, FAME Academy

Ellysen Vickers, FAME Academy

Maclean Harbin, HEART Academy

Nora Kate Edmondson,HEART Academy

Norah Cannon, Athens Intermediate

J’Micah Malone, Athens Intermediate

Limestone County Schools:

Melodie Arizpe, Elkmont Elementary

Avery Motter, Elkmont Elementary

Kyndal Smith, Elkmont Elementary

Kailee Cooley, Elkmont High

Harper Mims, Elkmont High

Riley Clark, Tanner High

Briley Williams, Elkmont High

Students will perform on the days their peers are designated to attend the festival.

Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022

7:00 p.m.: Music in the Tent with Three on a String and The Dill Pickers

Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022

7:30–9:10 p.m.: Traditional Olio in the Tent

• 7:30–7:50 p.m.: Bil Lepp
• 7:50–7:55 p.m.: Student Teller 1
• 7:55–8:15 p.m.: Donald Davis
• 8:15–8:20 p.m.: Student Teller 2
• 8:20–8:40 p.m.: Dolores Hydock
• 8:40–8:45 p.m.: Student Teller 3
• 8:45–8:50 p.m.: Student Teller 4
• 8:50–9:10 p.m.: Josh Goforth

Friday, Oct. 21, 2022 Session 1

• 9:00–9:50 a.m.: Donald Davis
• 9:50–10:35 a.m.: Josh Goforth
• 10:35 am–12:30 p.m.: Lunch Break
• 12:30–1:15 p.m.: Bil Lepp
• 1:15–2:00 p.m.: Dolores Hydock

Session 2

• 3:40–4:25 p.m.: Donald Davis
• 4:25–5:10 p.m.: Josh Goforth
• 5:10–7:00 p.m.: Supper Break
• 7:00–7:45 p.m.: Dolores Hydock
• 7:45–8:30 p.m.: Bil Lepp

Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022 Session 1

• 9:00–9:45 a.m.: Dolores Hydock
• 9:45–10:30 a.m.: Donald Davis
• 10:30 am–12:30 p.m.: Lunch Break
• 12:30–1:15 p.m.: Josh Goforth
• 1:15–2:00 p.m.: Bil Lepp

Session 2

• 3:30–4:15 p.m.: Dolores Hydock
• 4:15–5:00 p.m.: Josh Goforth
• 5:00–7:00 p.m.: Supper Break
• 7:00–7:45 p.m.: Bil Lepp
• 7:45–8:00 p.m.: Auction
• 8:00–8:45 p.m.: Donald Davis

Thanks to the support of local legislators, the Athens, AL Storytelling Festival is able to welcome area schoolchildren free of charge.

The following legislators contributed:

Senator Tim Melson

Senator Tom Butler

Senator Arthur Orr

Representative Lynn Greer

Representative Parker Moore

Representative Danny Crawford

Representative Andy Whitt

Representative Mac McCutcheon

More on the student Storytellers and the student audiences will be available in Saturday’s edition.

Continue following The News Courier’s coverage of the Athens, AL Storytelling Festival throughout this week.