Time for the Annual Festival of Ghost Stories

The days grow short and the time comes again for spooky stories told in the long dark night...

Join us for the Annual Festival of Ghost Stories,
Friday, October 26, from 7 to 8:30 pm
in Bryan Park by South Henderson Street in Bloomington.

A Halloween-time tradition for more than 30 years, the Festival of Ghost Stories features haunting tales of ghosts and horror that will tingle the spine. Bring a lawn chair or blanket, dress warmly, and avoid the chill as seasoned storytellers spin their tales in the dark.


 Best suited for adults, teens, and older school-age children. Not appropriate for younger children.

In case of inclement weather, the Festival of Ghost Stories will be held at the Monroe County Public Library. For weather updates, call the Community Events Hotline at 349-3754.

This community partnership event is presented by the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department; the Monroe County Public Library; and the Bloomington Storytellers Guild.

Fall Season starts!

Time for our Fall Storytelling Season to start!

We'll begin by getting together:

Sunday

September 16

5:30 - 7:30 pm

Monroe Room
Holiday Inn,  1710 North Kinser Pike, Bloomington, IN.

This is the first meeting of our "year" - so we'll be doing some planning and organization as well as sharing information from the summer workshop and a story or two.

Come find out what exciting things will be going on this year!

"Mise-en-abymes"

"People have wanted to narrate since first we banged rocks together & wondered about fire.  There'll be tellings as long as there are any of us here, until the stars disappear one by one like turned-out lights.

   Some such stories are themselves about the telling of others.  An odd pastime.  Seemingly redundant, or easy to get lost in, like a picture that contains a smaller picture of itself, which in turn contains--& so on.  Such phenomena have a pleasing foreign name: they are mise-en-abymes.

  We have just had a story of a story.  Tell it yourself, again, & story of a story in a story will be born, & you will be en route to that abyme.  Which is an abyss."

Fall is coming

The new Parks and Recreation Program Guide is out.

On its cover - there we are!

This is last year's Festival of Ghost Stories as photographed by Scott Higgins.

Inside the Guide you'll find the first official announcement for this year's Festival.


Time to start planning!

The Inaugural Summer Storytelling Workshop

The day of Storytelling workshops was full of conversation.

We talked about stories,


we told stories,

 we got to know new people 

and to reconnect with some old friends.

We listened...






and we were listened to.

We were inspired by Mary Hamilton.

She said: "Tell a story you love."

She said: "Learn the story, not the words."

And that "inaugural" bit in the title of this post?  Yes, we want to explore having a regular Summer Storytelling Workshop.  Stay tuned for more...

Everything you need to know...

...about a day of

Storytelling workshops

FEATURING national storyteller and story coach,

Mary Hamilton

 When: SaturdayJuly 21

Where: Unitarian Universalist Church, Bloomington

2120 North Fee Lane, Bloomington Indiana 47408

What:

Beginner’s Storytelling Workshop.  

Inspiring and entertaining lecture-demo on the essentials of storytelling with activities for learning to shape retellings.  This workshop will be useful for anyone getting started in storytelling and will be interesting to advanced storytellers who might want to lead workshops themselves.

Master Class featuring advanced storytellers. 

Space limited.

This session focuses on ways that storytellers can help each other work through the process of preparing a story for performance. The session engages the audience and other tellers in learning response techniques to help colleagues develop and improve their stories and storytelling.  Workshop includes options to respond or simply listen and observe.

Schedule:

9:00 - 9:30 a.m.      On site registration and coffee

Fellowship Hall

9:30 - 11:30 a.m.    Essentials of Storytelling: A Beginner’s Workshop

Fellowship Hall

Lunch: (optional) eat and chat with Guild Members in Fellowship Hall,  Brown bag OR you can order sandwiches at registration for small additional fee.  

1:00 - 3:00 p.m.      Master Class  (space is limited)

Library, 2nd floor

HOW TO REGISTER:

Registration available at the door if space is available.

Advance registration is preferred.

Questions, email libyq@yahoo.com or call 812-829-4770.

To Register

Send an email

To:   libyq@yahoo.com

INCLUDE:

1.  your name

2.  mailing address

3.  email address

4.  phone number

5.  Sessions you plan to attend:  Morning, Afternoon, or BOTH

6.  Are you new to storytelling, just starting, or a practicing storyteller?

Payment (check or cash)

$25.00 FEE

Make checks payable to:  Stephanie Holman

1.  Mail your registration fee to: 

          Bloomington Storytellers Guild

          Stephanie Holman, Treasurer

          713 Bass Haven Lane

          Spencer, IN  47460

2.  OR pay at the door

Confirmation

You will receive a registration confirmation via email

Word is out!

Thanks to our friends at Storytelling Arts of Indiana for passing on the word about Mary Hamilton's upcoming workshops in Bloomington!
Here's a link:

http://www.storytellingarts.org/116.html