Looking Back and Forward to Winter Winds Storyfest

Last year, I enjoyed our second annual Winter Winds Storyfest and learned so much from our featured teller, Kevin Cordi. It was an incredible opportunity for participants to practice storytelling alongside other storytellers and to meet so many wonderful people in the community. Storytelling can often feel inaccessible because of the vulnerability and formality of standing on a stage and speaking to “the audience.” We forget that the audience is made up of individual people we would most likely feel comfortable connecting with in a casual setting. At its core, storytelling is still about connecting to individuals. Winter Winds gave participants the chance to work on telling a story in small groups and highlighted the collaborative process of storytelling craft—something that can easily be forgotten with the formality of a microphone and a stage.

For the upcoming Winter Winds Storyfest on February 20 and 21, I could not be more excited. When I heard the featured teller would be Alton Takiyama-Chung, I was thrilled. I have had the privilege of facilitating several of Alton’s virtual programs for The Story Center, including Bringing Characters to Life in May 2024 and Telling Ghost Stories & Other Scary Stuff in October 2024. Each time, his energy and mastery blow me away. He is an excellent teacher, and while he is incredibly impressive in a virtual setting, I cannot wait to see his energy expand to a room full of story-curious people.

Winter Winds Storyfest is presented in partnership with River and Prairie Storyweavers.  If you are curious about storytelling, or you’ve done it for years, I recommend registering for the Winter Winds Storyfest. Alton will be performing at the storytelling concert Friday February 20th, and will lead two programs the following day February 21st, “Family Characters and Their Stories” and “Making Stories Come Alive.”

If you want to check out some of Alton’s work, The Story Center collection has two recordings of his storytelling on DVD available for check out.

Life is the Treasure

Okage Sama De

Or you can check out his website for more information.

Still curious about storytelling or seeking community but can’t make the fest? We have a Story Swap every third Thursday of the month you can register for on our programs page.

You can tell or just listen, but either way we hope to see you there!  

Simaran S.
Story Center Associate