Storytelling to connect the community at the Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival

Image Credit: Natalie Mendham

Third annual Storytellers Cup returns to the Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival this July

The Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival, July 13-15, is looming and as the days draw darker and the temperatures drop, festival organisers are planning to bring the community closer together with some good old-fashioned storytelling.

Storytelling is an ancient art that informs our sense of self and taps deep into our mythic understanding of the world. This cup is not only a celebration of this ancient art but a riotous revel in how the best stories can be told in this day and age.

Festival Director Sam Reid said “there is a rich history in Tasmania of storytelling and it’s great to give the next generation of orators an opportunity to showcase their talents. With so many people desperate to slow down and feel a sense of connection to their community, we feel that human storytelling has become somewhat of a lost art that we are doing our best to bring back.”

In partnership with MACq 01 – a storytelling hotel, the Storytellers Cup is back at the festival on Saturday July 14th and will delight with a slew of tales from tellers with fire in their bellies.

The MACq 01 Storytellers Cup invites word weavers to tell, in the most creative way possible, a seven-minute story to compete for over $800 in cash prizes and the coveted handcrafted Huon pine cup, carved by local designer Adam Moss.

Due to increasing enthusiastic interest, the festival will be running heats on June 18th at MACq 01 with Justin Johnstone, MACq 01’s master storyteller and Rachel Edwards, Storyteller’s Cup Coordinator, selecting the best storytellers to perform on the Saturday night at the festival.

Sunday the 15th of July is Family Fun Day and the program will feature children’s storytelling with Tamas Ozvald from the Roaming Tree’s.

Festival organisers have embraced storytelling throughout the festival program and are delighted to announce the debut appearance of ‘The Wayfinder’, Tasmania’s first mobile storytelling studio.

Throughout the three days of the festival, ‘The Wayfinder’s’ founder Helene Thomas, will collect stories of all kinds, from real life stories, to myths and legends, to good old fashioned folk and fairy tales.

“Stories have the power to awaken something inside ourselves and inspire us to connect with others in a way that creates a new perspective or a new way,” Helene said.

With just eight weeks to go until this year’s festival, we invite interested word weavers to get in touch with Rachel Edwards, the MACq 01Storytellers Cup Coordinator, for more information.

Tickets available via: https://www.huonvalleymidwinterfest.com.au/tickets/
Festival Manager, Krystal Cox