In view of this year’s Storytelling Festival’s theme, “Lighten Up,” I’d like to paraphrase Barbara Walters: “A good laugh makes any interview, any conversation, or any story, so much better.”
Festival organizers have enlisted the talents of nationally acclaimed storyteller Kim Weitkamp to encourage and equip this year’s participants to add humor to their stories. Besides a hands-on workshop on Saturday, October 26 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the library, she’ll also perform at three other festival events to show the rest of us how it’s done.
This is the Storytelling Festival’s third year running and its timing near Halloween means that scary stories are featured at two of the events, with Weitkamp offering some of her original tales from two of her albums.
Here’s a full lineup of events.
Scary Story Swap with Will Hornyak. Scare or be scared. Bring a 3-5 minute spooky story to share or just come to have your spine tingled. Sign-ups for swappers begin at 6:30 p.m. Friday, October 25, from 6:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. at the Waluga Masonic Lodge, #181, 417 2nd Street.
Serve Chilled with Kim Weitkamp. Drawing from her albums entitled, Head Bone Rattles and Dead Bird Singing (not yet released), you can be sure you’re not in store for “happily ever after endings.” But if you’re like many who like to be scared, tune in. Friday, October 25 from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Waluga Masonic Lodge, #181, 417 2nd Street.
Children’s Matinee with Charlie Williams, the Noiseguy. Let this kids’ comedian put his vocal sound impressions to work to entertain your little ones. From planes and trains to dinosaurs and beatboxing, he’ll have their laugh-out-loud attention. Saturday, October 26 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Lake Oswego Public Library, 706 Fourth Street.
Community Exhibits. See who has a story to tell: Friends of Lake Oswego Library, Lake Oswego Preservation Society, Lake Oswego Public Library, Oral History Project, Oswego Heritage Council, Oswego Pioneer Cemetery, Portland Storytellers Guild. Visit their tables and be entered into a prize drawing. Saturday, October 26, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Lake Oswego Public Library, 706 Fourth Street.
Why and How to Add Humor to Your Stories. Lighten up your stories and warm up to your audience with tips from Kim Weitkamp. Space is limited so pre-register by calling 503.675.2540 or email: loref@ci.oswego.or.us. Saturday, October 26 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., Lake Oswego Public Library, 706 Fourth Street.
Storytelling Concert with Kim Weitkamp. Watch and learn from one of the best as Weitkamp shares her humorous look at life, tall tales and original stories. Saturday, October 26 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Lakewood Center for the Arts, downstairs, 368 S. State Street.
Family Matinee with Kim Weitkamp, Will Hornyak and Anne-Louise Sterry. Bring the whole family for this entertaining performance. Sunday, October 27 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Lake Oswego Public Library, 706 Fourth Street.
Check out previous blog coverage on the Lake Oswego Storytelling Festival for more reasons to attend.
52 Reasons to Love Lake Oswego 