WINONA, Minn. — Two-day passes for the inaugural Sandbar Storytelling Festival, to be held Oct. 14-15 in Winona, will be on sale, starting Friday, July 1. With a two-day pass (and advanced event registration), passholder are admitted into all festival events on the beautiful campus of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.
Festival attendees can participate in 10 storytelling events, featuring nationally and internationally known storytellers. Festival activities will also include a storytelling competition for college students (with the winner performing at “Fun Night” on Saturday), a storytelling workshop conducted by Bil Lepp, and a storytelling session just for kids (ages 9 to 14). The festival also includes musicians, food trucks, and on-site child care (for children ages 3-8 years), sponsored by WNB Financial.
The festival’s mission is to present storytelling performances that celebrate and preserve the power and pleasure of our varied cultural traditions and human experiences and to promote the art of storytelling for all ages. SSF President Taff Roberts reminds us that “through story-telling, we share our identities, and by active listening, we engage with people who are different from us.” This first year features five “tellers,” sponsored by the Parke/Bosshard Family, including Bil Lepp (from West Virginia), Carolina Quiroga-Stoltz (from Tennessee), the Rev. Robert Jones, Sr. (from Detroit, Mich.), Alton Takiyama-Chung (from Hawaii), and Regi Carpenter (from New York). Each of their websites provide previews of their storytelling, or go to sandbarstorytellingfestival.org for bios.
Two-day passholders are able to reserve tickets for each storytelling event at no additional cost — and before tickets become available to the general public.
Sandbar Storytelling Festival 2022 Schedule
Saint Mary’s University (unless otherwise noted)
Day 1 Friday, Oct. 14
2:30 p.m. – Storytellers: Bil Lepp and Carolina Quiroga-Stoltz, Page Theater
4 p.m. – Storytellers: Rev. Robert Jones, Sr., Regi Carpenter, and Alton Takiyama-Chung, Page Theater
5 p.m. – Little Warriors Drumline, Gazebo (free)
5:30 p.m. – Winona Area Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting, Page Theatre (free)
6 p.m. – Mettalarks: Mariah Ciangiola and Noah Short performing Halloween music, Page Theater
7 p.m. – Ghost Night (featuring all five storytellers), Page Theater
Day 2 Saturday, Oct. 15
9 a.m. – “How to Tell a Story” workshop, conducted by Bil Lepp, Blue Heron Coffeehouse (free, but limited to the first 50)
10 a.m. – Storytellers: Regi Carpenter and Carolina Quiroga-Stoltz, Page Theater
11 a.m. – Storytellers: Bil Lepp and Alton Takiyama-Chung, Page Theater
1 p.m. – Storyteller: the Rev. Robert Jones, Sr., Page Theater
1 p.m. – Regi Carpenter Kids Storytelling Session (for 9- to 14-year-olds), Figliulo Recital Hall (free)
2:30 p.m. – Storytellers: Alton Takiyama-Chung and Carolina Quiroga-Stoltz, Page Theater
4 p.m. – Storytellers: Bil Lepp and Regi Carpenter, Page Theater
5 p.m. – Bellhouse Trio (local musicians), Gazebo (free)
5:45 p.m. – Wing Dam Jammers (local musicians), Gazebo (free)
7 p.m. – Fun Night (featuring the winner of the college competition and all five storytellers), Page Theater
Two-day passes are $120. Individual day passes ( $50 for Friday and $80 for Saturday) will be available, beginning in September. Individual tickets for the storytelling sessions are $15 and will be sold at the door prior to each event. Pay-as-you-can tickets, courtesy of WNB Financial, will be available at the door as well. A special performance for the whole family is also in the planning stages. Information about this event will be announced later in July, with tickets going on sale Aug. 1.
The WNB Financial-sponsored child care is offered Friday from 2-5 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon, and Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. Parents with passes can bring their children (between ages 3 and 8) to participate in age-appropriate activities in the university’s Studio Theatre.
For more information, as well as the link to purchase two-day passes, go to www.sandbarstorytellingfestival.org For more information, email info@sandbarstorytellingfestival.org, sandbarwinona@gmail.com, or call 507- 703-6001.