Connect with your community through stories at the 5th Annual Old North State Storytelling Festival, live at The Cary Theater on Nov. 3-4. Presented by the North Carolina Storytelling Guild (NCSG) in partnership with the Town of Cary, this year’s event will feature nationally acclaimed and award-winning storytellers Kim Weitkamp and Donna Washington, as well as two of the guild’s own highly talented storytellers, Lona Bartlett and Larry Pearlman. The festival will also showcase the musical talents of Lipbone Redding, a one-man orchestra who turns stories into music. 

“At this year’s festival you will not only be entertained with hilarious, touching, insightful, and compelling stories, you will be inspired and motivated, and will take home a little bit of wisdom to share,” said Alan Hoal, festival chairperson. 

After selling out showcases in 2019 and rebounding from the challenges presented by Covid, Old North State is back on track to continue to grow as a regular annual feature of the Cary Theater’s varied and unique arthouse offerings. This year, there will be four showcases over the weekend, beginning on Friday evening and continuing through Saturday morning, afternoon, and evening. Tickets may be purchased for individual showcases, but packages for all four can be purchased at a discounted price.  

“I believe storytelling is at the heart of all we do and all we are as individuals and is also at the heart of other art forms,” said Hoal. “Whether you are talking about writing, painting, sculpting, cinema, and even pottery and fabric arts, all artists are communicating a story in their own unique way. Storytelling is not just entertainment; it is fundamental to human interaction, relationships, and understanding and is how we communicate and pass along our values, history, and experiences.” 

To purchase tickets and peruse a schedule of events, visit oldnorthstatestorytellingfestival.com