Bay Area Storytelling Festival
THE STORY CONTINUES...
TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE!
Click HERE to buy tickets!
In 2024 the 33rd Bay Area Storytelling Festival will be held at the beautiful Sonoma Academy in Santa Rosa, California. With sweeping views of the surrounding hills and a new, state-of-the-art 500-seat theater, it’s the perfect location to gather as a storytelling community. In addition to the new location, we’ve expanded the Festival to include Friday evening. In the heart of Sonoma County, Santa Rosa provides the perfect setting for a storytelling weekend adventure.
As usual, the Festival will also stream live on YouTube for all the performances on the main stage. All other sessions will be recorded and available for viewing afterwards.
Festival Schedule
Click HERE to view the Festival schedule
Become a Festival Sponsor
Please consider becoming a Festival Sponsor. There are several levels available from $500 to $5000. You can also be a Friend of the Festival starting from only $110.
To find out more, click HERE. Thank you.
If you have any questions regarding ticketing or sponsorship, please email us at bayareastoryfest@gmail.com
The Festival is thrilled to welcome these internationally known artists:
Kealoha
Kealoha is a storyteller and the first Poet Laureate of Hawai’i. As an internationally acclaimed poet and storyteller, he has performed at venues throughout the world from the White House to the ‘Iolani Palace, from Brazil to Switzerland and many places in between.
Karin Amano
Karin Amano was born and raised in Japan, where she trained in Japanese Traditional Dance as well as singing and acting. Karin has performed as a Japanese storyteller, Japanese traditional dancer/singer, and bilingual master of ceremony at a number of locations and events.
Gene Tagaban
One Crazy Raven, is a teller of stories that teach, entertain, and heal. Through oratory, song, dance, movement, and transformation. Gene shares traditional Native American stories as well as stories from his personal experience, family, and historical events.
Diane Ferlatte (with Erik Pearson)
Diane Ferlatte has travelled internationally captivating audiences while using songs, sign language, humor, and audience participation. She has wowed audiences in Australia, New Zealand, Africa, Europe, Asia, South America, and in virtually all 50 states of the U.S. She is often accompanied on guitar and banjo by Erik Pearson.
Brandon Spars
Brandon Spars has been a college and high school instructor for twenty-five years who has always brought storytelling into his lessons. Brandon is a regular Bay Area storyteller as well as a TEDx speaker and a five-time champion of the Moth StorySLAM (including two GrandSLAMS).
BASF Highlights
On Friday afternoon, we will present the film, The Story of Everything brought to BASF by Engaging the Senses, followed by Q&A with the filmmaker and Slam Poet, Kealoha. This is being offered FREE to everyone.
The Story of Everything is a creation story connecting consciousness and science, past and present; the Future is in our hands, act together now to care for mother earth, all of us.
Engaging the Senses presents The Story of Everything, a multimedia film based on a theater piece written by beloved Hawai‘i Poet Laureate Kealoha that lifts up our common humanity. Rich with curiosity and embodying hope, the feature film explores diverse explanations for the origins of life, uniquely blending past and present, science and consciousness, and the environment and the arts. Poetry, dance, music, art and special effects condense 13.7 billion years into an hour and 45-minute journey that asks and answers two compelling questions that have challenged humans from the very beginning: where do we come from? And even more important: where do we go next?
On Friday evening, don’t miss Sunset Stories, held on the beautiful patio overlooking the wine country at Sonoma Academy. This event will include wine and heavy appetizers. Bask in the sunset, sip wine, and listen as the stories unfold. This is a strictly 21-years and over event.
On Saturday we have an all-day program packed with stories for you. The day will feature performances with all the tellers at the beginning and end of the day, along with concerts and workshops in the morning and afternoon. Youth tellers and an Open Mike will be part of this exciting program.
Registration begins at 9:00 am
Opening Olio at 10:00am
Closing Olio at 5:00pm
Festival Schedule
Click HERE to view the Festival schedule
TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE!
Click HERE to buy tickets!
"Once upon a time, in the land of hills and water and bridges, there lived a band of local folk who loved storytelling. They loved to hear tales told and to tell tales of their own. This society of storytellers traveled far and wide to gather together with the multitudes and be regaled with stories of all kinds.
One day, an idea was hatched. Why not bring the stories to their very own shire? Their land was pleasing to the eye and had many who would enjoy hearing and telling stories. And so it began, a Festival in the West, a gathering that grew and grew. What started as a day grew to three and what began as a first became thirty Festivals over many, many years. Word spread of the event and soon crowds from throughout the land, from all directions, came to hear and to learn from the greatest of the bards.
The society of storytellers was pleased as the festival grew beyond their wildest dreams. But, alas, the society eventually grew weary, as the festival required the work of many and at times there were only a few. There came a day when the festival bid adieu to the land of hills and water and bridges. The group was pleased with what they had done,but could no longer carry the torch onward.
Then, darkness fell upon the land and the people were made to stay in their homes, to cover their faces and could gather together o more. Stories were still told, but tellers were distant and spoke to the people from small windows, while the folk sat in their homes. This went on for some time and the people grew restless. Slowly, after a year and many months, the darkness started to lift. The folk ventured out of their abodes and the tellers stepped out of their rectangular confinement.
It was at this moment, while caught up in the joy of the fading darkness, that a certain storytelling lass decreed, “Let us bring back the festival!” The cry was echoed throughout the land and soon plans were afoot to once again assemble in the West. It was decided to gather in the spring, at a manor in the village known as Santa Rosa.
And so the story continues..."