The 50 annual Festival of Ghost Stories
Friday October 24
7 - 8:30 pm
Bryan Park
1001 S Henderson St. Bloomington IN 47401
Join the Bloomington Storytellers Guild in Bryan Park for a special anniversary performance featuring favorite ghost stories from the past five decades. Special guest Stephanie Holman, former Monroe County Public Library librarian, returns to the stage for this spooky night under the stars.
Bring a blanket, a chair, and someone to hold your hand; these stories are best for adults, teens, and older kids. Some content may not be suitable for young children.
Festival of Ghost Stories is sponsored by Bloomington Parks and Recreation and the Monroe County Public Library. For weather-related updates, call the Community Events Hotline at 812-349-3754. Rain location is the Monroe County Public Library Auditorium, 303 E. Kirkwood Ave.
FREE
City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation
https://bloomington.in.gov/recreation/programs/12700
Monroe County Public Library
https://calendar.mcpl.info/event/14557402
Our poster was designed by Connor Stelle. You'll be seeing more of his amazing artwork at the Festival of Ghost Stories (7:00 pm, Bryan Park, October 24)
It’s the season for spooky stories!
We know you have a favorite - maybe the tale that terrified
you at camp? Or the one that kept you
from sleeping at a slumber party? A true tale that you heard at a family
gathering? Your favorite one from “Scary
Stories to Tell in the Dark”? The tricky one that made you gasp – and laugh?
Come share your story at the October meeting of the
Bloomington Storytellers Guild:
Sunday, October 5
Monroe County Public Library, (on Kirkwood) Room 2C
12:15 to 1:45 pm
As you get ready to share a story remember:
Keep it
short (7-10 min)
Don’t read
it – tell it
Practice
telling it out loud before you come
Let us know
the source of your story
Love to listen to scary stories? Stay tuned, there will be many opportunities
this October!
Mark your calendar for the 50th annual festival
of Ghost Stories in Bryan Park on October 24th!
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Contact Laura Clavio
lzclavio@gmail.com
if you have a story you would like to try out.
We began our anniversary year in February with a splendid Wintertelling at the Monroe County Public Library.
Every year we invite you to Wintertelling, a special program of stories and songs featuring a variety of tellers
This year you are invited to join us for an evening of tales:
Friday February 21st
7:00-8:30 P.M.
Monroe County Public Library, Main Branch
FREE
Adults and teens
Library will be closed, come in the Kirkwood Entrance. Doors will open at 6:30 pm
You'll hear some old stories, some new stories, a few folktales, a true story, a made-up story, and even a song-story.. You'll hear some familiar voices and some brand-new ones. We hope you enjoy the tales we've gathered this year!
Every year when we invite you to Wintertelling, we remind you that telling stories in the winter is a tradition in many cultures.
Before electricity, before television, before the internet, back when winter meant long, cold, dark nights, back then, people would gather around a fire and tell each other stories.
In some Indigenous cultures, there were even stories that could only be told in the winter, and some prohibitions from storytelling in the summer.
We began Wintertelling with these traditions in mind.
Please join us!
The annual Wintertelling program is sponsored by the Monroe County Public Library and presented by the Bloomington Storytellers Guild. Interested in telling a tale with us?
You don't have to already be a member of the Guild. Just bring a story to Auditions, and if chosen, be ready to perform at the event. Auditions are required for Wintertelling.
Here are the dates:
WINTERTELLING PERFORMANCE: Friday, February 21, 2024, 7:00-8:30 p.m., Monroe County Public Library Auditorium, Downtown Bloomington.
WINTERTELLING AUDITIONS: Tuesday February 4, 2024, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., Monroe County Public Library Auditorium
So you have a great story to tell which is appropriate for adults and teens? READ ON! (This is a LONG read, but essential if you wish to join us as a teller at the 2025 Wintertelling!)
Members of the BSG will be there to listen to your tale. Please let coordinator Patty Callison (pattcall@yahoo.com) know as soon as possible if you plan to attend. Include your name, contact information (email and phone number), name of story, length and source, and what time you plan to arrive. Please see instructions below for more specific information.
Expectations for Auditions
· If you are new to Wintertelling and the BSG, you need to come to the auditions and tell your story as it will be presented in performance.
· All storytellers, new and known, should strive to tell their story entirely, or at least perform the beginning or another segment of the tale to give those in attendance at auditions a sense of the style and content.
· Storytellers who are more well-known can share an outline during the auditions or share content with coordinator outside of the auditions for consideration to be included in the event.
· Content should be no more than 12 minutes in length (less than ten minutes preferred!) and must be timed in an oral telling at some point for accuracy of length. Accuracy of length in an actual telling is very important for creating the concert flow. Shorter stories are certainly welcome.
Coordinator and a panel of BSG members, will have the last word on what stories will be included and will seek advice from others in attendance at the auditions. Notification from the coordinator will occur 2-3 days after auditions.
Expectations for the Event
· Tellers must share their story at the auditions or plan to share with Patty Callison, main event coordinator at another time.
· Tellers, if accepted for the performance, may attend a practice session for timing and feedback. This practice session will be Sunday, February 19, from 1 to 2:30 pm. in the Library Auditorium.
· Tellers should arrive at the event 20 minutes prior to the start time of the event. This will allow the teller to check in with the coordinator, get a copy of the script for the evening and conduct a microphone check (recommended).
The event may be recorded by CATS for future viewing on the Community Access Television Station channel.
Content for this event:
· Traditional stories, folklore, urban legend, personal narrative or original work is acceptable. Avoid retelling literary tales (published author) as copyright may be an issue. You will want to credit your sources.
· The event is advertised for Adults and Teens. Don’t go too young with content.
· Aim your content at the average listener who has a short attention span.
· Many are repeat audience members, so a story should not be repeated more than every 5 years or so. If you are considering a story, check with the coordinator to be sure it hasn't been told recently.
· The story does NOT need to be a story about Winter. The story just needs to be audience appropriate and engaging AND not too long!
*** Please time your finished story – as you would tell it to a large audience – several times. Guestimates of story length are reliably unreliable. ***
Reasons for Inclusion:
· The story is appropriate content for Wintertelling with interest for the casual listener.
· The story provides texture and contrast in the overall script.
· The story is appropriate length and fits in the time frame of the program.
· Presentation skill demonstrated in the past or at Auditions.
