HONOLULU—Talk story time comes to Ala Moana Beach Park this weekend for two evenings full of spooky stories, slam poetry, and stories that take a stand as part of the 22nd Annual Talk Story Festival, Hawaii’s oldest and largest storytelling celebration.
The free event is put together by the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Parks and Recreation.
Jeff Gere, a drama specialist for the Department of Parks and Recreation, created the festival in 1989 after being inspired by the hundreds of moving stories he heard visiting senior centers. His vision was to bring Hawaii’s best tellers and tales to Hawaii’s people. With no precedent, no money, a part-time aide, and the Parks Department staff, some fifty volunteer storytellers filled eight hours of storytelling on five stages each hour. One thousand people attended that first event.
In the years that followed, the crowds swelled to nearly five thousand. Olelo TV has recorded and aired Festival programs since 1990. Performances at the Talk Story Festival form the backbone of the Talk Story Radio show, airing weekly on Hawaii Public Radio (Mondays at 5:30 p.m. on KIPO, 89.3FM, Thursdays at 6:00 a.m. on KTUH 90.3 FM, and Sunday nights from 10:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Maui’s Manao Radio 91.5FM).
At this year’s festival, Hawaii’s featured storytellers, as well as a few guests, will take part in eight 20-minute sessions across two nights on October 15 and October 16 in the McCoy Pavilion’s Auditorium at Ala Moana Beach Park.
Sign language interpreters, video projections, and active lighting all contribute in telling the tails. Gates open at 5:00 p.m. Big crowds are expected so come early.
On Sunday, October 17, a storytelling workshop will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
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