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The 2013 Beaufort Intergalactic
Storytelling Festival & Liars Competition

Mark Your Calendar Now!
April 11 - 14, 2013
Featuring Bil Lepp

Storytellers & story-listeners unite!

The BIG Story Fest honors the deeply fun tradition of storytelling and story-listening with performances, family activities, workshops, and diverse voices.

Click Here for Full Schedule & Ticketing

...And the headliners are:

Bil Lepp from West Virginia ~
The internationally-known storyteller and humorist is described as a satisfying blend of Bill Cosby and Jeff Foxworthy. His outrageous tall-tales and witty stories have earned the appreciation of listeners of all ages. He is the author "Muddling Through: Perspectives on Parenting," has been featured at venues across the nation, including Comedy Central, and is a recipient of the Storytelling Circle of Excellence Award.

Doug Elliott from North Carolina ~
Whether he's pontificating on possums, pondering the "nature" in human nature, telling wild snake tales or wailing out a jivey harmonica tune, Doug Elliott will take you on an unforgettable, multifaceted cultural tour of America's back country. A naturalist and herbalist Doug flavors his stories with regional dialects, natural history fact stranger than fiction, and belly laughs. Elliott has written five books, produced a number of award winning recordings, and occasionally appears on PBS-TV and the History Channel.

Judy Sima from Michigan ~
Judy Sima is a treasure chest full of the world's favorite tales. She gives audiences the witches, the princesses, the lions, and the magic beans they want to hear. Her warm, engaging performances combine folk, traditional and modern tales, with humor, song and loads of audience participation. Well-known for her highly interactive and practical workshops, Judy has been featured at educational, library, and storytelling conferences across the nation.

Natalie Daise from South Carolina ~
Beaufort's hometown favorite and a national star too, as seen on Gullah Gullah Island, Natalie Daise has the artist's touch when it comes to telling her original and classic stories. She paints your imagination with the volume of her voice, the depths of her beliefs, and a talent for expression that exceeds her smiles.

These four tale-spinners will be joined by tellers of all ages, styles and genres, as well as performing visual artists and a show of Modern quilts in ARTworks' gallery. The festival is a project of ARTworks, the arts council of Beaufort, Port Royal and the Sea Islands, where the stage is surrounded by artists working in their studios, galleries, workshops, and Beaufort Town Center, a leisure and shopping area with plenty of free parking and a shady marshfront for strolling.

You too can tell your tale-- on stage!

The Liars Competition @ the BIG Story Fest is an esteemed gathering of those who shoot the breeze with the greatest of ease. Competitions are Sundays, February 17, March 10, March 24, and April 11-14. Open to all styles, ages, residences. One additional round will occur during the festival, so visitors should join in then, and the finale is April 14, when Bil Lepp, 5-time champion of the West Virginia Liars' Contest, will serve as one of the judges and MC. Prizes will be announced!

"Building on our Past, Creating Our Future"

Beaufortonians are encouraged to tell their stories too, and not just four days a year at the BIG Story Fest. ARTworks is cultivating storytelling troupes based in schools, libraries and community venues.

"Storytelling is an art form, an educational tool, the most powerful tool for effective communication," explains JW Rone, the executive director of ARTworks. "It's a form of entertainment, a way to share history and culture. We are all storytellers."