It’s fitting that Fairfax City’s annual Women’s Storytelling Festival happens during Women’s History Month. And this year’s event begins this Thursday, March 14, and runs through Sunday, March 17.
Some 21 participants will share a wide range of stories in a variety of styles and genres, and people may hear them both online and in person. Virtual-only tickets are $45, and in-person tickets for the entire festival ticket are $65. And if not sold out in advance, one-day, in-person-only passes will be available at the door for $35/day.
Fairfax City Cultural Arts Manager Megan DuBois calls the Women’s Storytelling Festival (WSF) “one of the warmest events I’ve ever been to. You enter as strangers but leave as friends. From historic stories to fantasy adventures to personal tales, you can find something that makes you go, ‘Yes, that happened to me, too.’”
A special, virtual-only showcase will premiere March 14; and in the three days following, in-person performances will be held at Old Town Hall, 3999 University Drive. All the stories are intended for mature audiences, and ticket holders for both the online and in-person events will be able to watch the festival videos for one month after the festival concludes.
For storytelling schedules, tickets and more information, go to https://www.bettersaidthandone.com/womens-festival/.
“It’s a gift to have this caliber of a festival in our own backyard, here in Northern Virginia,” said returning storyteller Bonnie Gardner of Vienna. “You'll hear true, personal stories, traditional stories, fairytales – maybe including fractured or retold ones, historical stories, poignant stories, side-splitting stories, and so on.
“The festival is full of so many amazing women storytellers, and you’ll leave thinking about the stories for days to come. I’ve always been amazed at the sheer amount of talent the WSF brings together in one room. From nationally known legends of storytelling to emerging artists, the tellers are all performing at the top of their game. The WSF curates an incredible cast.”
Hosting the event is the nonprofit Better Said Than Done, which was launched in 2011 to bring the art of storytelling to Northern Virginia. And during the upcoming festival, besides storytellers from Virginia, participants are coming from all over the U.S., including California, Oregon, Massachusetts, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Some are newer to storytelling, while others have been performing for more than 30 years.
“This is live, up close, personal,” said storyteller Megan Hicks. “I loved listening to my favorite musicians on the radio and on my stereo when I was a kid. But when I got to see them live, I was transported – and from my seat in the audience, it appeared that the performers had come to life in ways not possible in a recording studio. Storytelling is like that, only more so.”
Fairfax’s Jessica Robinson, Women’s Storytelling Festival producer and Better Said Than Done founder, noted that this event will be the fifth annual. “The festival debuted in March 2020, days before Virginia shut down due to the pandemic,” she said. “Then 2021 was entirely virtual. In 2022, we returned to in-person but kept the virtual option for the many people who chose to watch from home. And the opening night’s showcase will include additional storytellers from across the country.”
“When I watched the video of the first festival during the pandemic, I thought it was awesome to have a festival of all-women storytellers,” explained storyteller Ronna Levy. “I’m honored to be part of this festival and to be telling stories alongside some amazing women storytellers.”
Also praising the event, storyteller Penelope Whitney said, “A good storyteller actually changes your own life for a moment as you follow along. Your heart beats faster, you catch yourself holding your breath, and your own heart hopes, breaks open, and is healed.”
Storyteller Rosemary Cipriano said a storytelling festival is unique because “one moment you’re laughing at something wild that happened to someone, and the next, you’re getting misty eyed as someone describes an experience that touches you. Stories have a way of bringing people together and reminding us just how similar we all are as we walk through life.”
“As a woman, I love hearing from other women about their experiences and seeing life through their perspectives,” added storyteller Robin Schulte. “I feel enlightened, seen, understood. There’s a nurturing, a celebration, a sisterhood.”
All in all, said Robinson, “I’ve been a storyteller for 17 years, and I can honestly say, the Women’s Storytelling Festival is what I’m most proud of creating. And [it offers] some of the best, damn storytelling I have ever seen. 2024 is going to be another amazing weekend of stories, and I cannot wait to watch and enjoy it.”
* The stories will feature diverse experiences and cultures, and the event is open to people of all gender identities. To learn more about the festival’s storytellers, visit https://www.bettersaidthandone.com/womens-festival/2024-storytellers/.