An escape from everyday entertainment options, the fourth annual Akron Storytelling Festival will offer rich tradition and fun with a twist, July 17 and 18 at Main Library, 60 S. High St. in downtown Akron.
Friday events:
Friday, 11 a.m.-Noon
Family Concert in the Auditorium
Andy Offutt Irwin - Offutt's Environmental Epic Show!
Using mighty funny song-stories and his usual cache of sound effects, Andy helps children (and grown-ups) think of the environment simply as the place where we live. He is a master at making up stories on the fly with input from the audience – listen carefully for your chance to help shape the story!
Friday, 1:30-3:30 pm
Workshop – Children’s Library
Andy Offutt Irwin – Don’t Be Afraid to be Amazing
In this workshop we'll explore ways of telling stories and singing songs to children. Andy will help you look at humor in storytelling and discuss tips on pacing, timing and movement. This workshop is for adults.
Saturday events:
Saturday, 9:30-11:30 am
Workshop – Auditorium
Kim Weitkamp- The Wrinkles Project
Kim Weitkamp - The Wrinkles Project is a national campaign to help families and senior care facilities gather the stories of their families and residents. Learn how to uncover the precious threads of memories and weave them into your stories.
Saturday, 1-3 pm
Workshop – Auditorium
Bil Lepp - Preserving Personal History in Untrue Tales
Learn to preserve history by telling fictional accounts of real history. Bil will talk about how to use or camouflage real people in stories, how to keep real places intact, and how to discuss sensitive issues through the voice of endearing characters.
Saturday, 3:30-4:30 pm
Workshop – Auditorium
Getting Great Stories, the StoryCorps Way
Join staff from the national oral history project StoryCorps and learn how to use your listening skills to become a great interviewer.
Saturday, 7-10 pm
Storytelling Concert (12 years and older)
Auditorium
Bil Lepp – Warning Lights: Good Ideas Gone Bad: Tall-tales about high jinx and high adventure.
Think Jeff Foxworthy with the comedic patience of Bill Cosby. His outrageous, humorous tall-tales and witty stories have earned the appreciation of listeners of all ages and from all walks of life.
Kim Weitkamp – Freckles, Fibs and Family: Humorous stories on love and lessons learned from family.
Known for her skills in laying down a whopper of a tale, Kim combines humor, original childhood stories and just a touch of fertilizer to create stories that can compete with the best of them.
StoryCorps Presentation – Listening Is an Act of Love
The national oral history project StoryCorps will be at Main Library July 17-31 to help Summit County residents record their stories. Hear an overview of StoryCorps’ mission and services.
Saturday, 10-10:30 pm: Meet the Storytellers in the Atrium
All events are free and open to the public. Books and recordings will be available for purchase.
For more information, visit www.akronlibrary.org. To register for the workshops, please contact History & Humanities at 330-643-9040 or e-mail hhdiv@akronlibrary.org.
About Akron-Summit County Public Library
Comprised of Main Library, 17 branch libraries and mobile services, the Akron-Summit County Public Library provides resources for learning and leisure, information services, meeting spaces, and programs for all ages that support, improve, and enrich individual, family, and community life.
