FAYETTEVILLE N.C. – The Cumberland County Public Library hosts the 15th Annual Storytelling Festival beginning Saturday, March 1, and continuing through March 31. This free, month-long festival features stories and activities for children from birth to age 12 with programs open to all ages.
The theme for this year’s festival is “Jungle Jamboree.” Programs and activities will celebrate and encourage storytelling through different perspectives by embracing diverse voices and cultures. The storytelling festival promotes literacy, encourages inclusion and sparks creativity for everyone in the community.
The Cumberland County Public Library received a $7,000 grant from the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County in May 2023 to go toward the Storytelling Festival.
This year’s festival will feature three different performers:
Grey Seal Puppets will perform Tangle of Tales, three folktales from around the world told with puppets for ages 3 – 11.
- March 5, Tuesday, 11 a.m. – Spring Lake Community Library, 101 Laketree Blvd., Spring Lake
- March 5, Tuesday, 4 p.m. – Cliffdale Regional Library, 6882 Cliffdale Road, Fayetteville
- March 6, Wednesday, 10 a.m. – East Regional Library, 4809 Clinton Road, Fayetteville
- March 6, Wednesday, 4 p.m. – Hope Mills Community Library, 3411 Golfview Road, Hope Mills
Donna Washington, a renowned storyteller, will tell moving, funny fables and exciting tales for children ages 4 – 11.
- March 11, Monday, 3:30 p.m. – Bordeaux Community Library, 3711 Village Drive, Fayetteville
- March 12, Tuesday, March 12, 3:30 p.m. – North Regional Library, 855 McArthur Road, Fayetteville
Hobey Ford will perform Animala which explores the world of animals through movement, music and puppetry for ages 3 – 11.
- March 26, Tuesday, 10 a.m. – Hope Mills Community Library, 3411 Golfview Road, Hope Mills
- March 26, Tuesday, 4 p.m. – Headquarters Library, 300 Maiden Lane, Fayetteville
- March 27, Wednesday, 11 a.m. – West Regional Library, 7469 Century Circle, Fayetteville
- March 27, Wednesday, 4 p.m. – North Regional Library, 855 McArthur Road, Fayetteville
“Storytelling and events like the storytelling festival are critical for encouraging literacy and promoting discovery and learning in our community,” said Faith Phillips, Cumberland County Public Library Director. “Storytelling helps listeners be creative and to use their imagination, all skills that can foster literacy and a love of reading.”
About the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County:
The Arts Council of Fayetteville|Cumberland County is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization that connects communities, embraces diversity, promotes individual creativity, advances economic development and fosters lifelong learning through the arts. As a primary steward of public and private funding for arts, cultural and historical activities in the Cape Fear Region, all affiliated programs of the Arts Council exemplify our 5 core values: Excellence, Accountability, Transparency, Collaborations and Innovation.
In the year 2022-2023 year, the Arts Council distributed more than $1 million in grant funds and special allocations to Cumberland County non-profit organizations, artists and municipalities producing arts and cultural activities.
This project is supported by a Grant from the Arts Council of Fayetteville|Cumberland County, the North Carolina Arts Council and, in part, by contributions from the City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County and other community partners.
Project Support Grants increase opportunities for access to arts, cultural and historical programming in Cumberland County. The grants are awarded to nonprofit agencies, institutions of higher education and municipal entities in Cumberland County that demonstrate financial and administrative stability.
For more information about the Arts Council, go to theartscouncil.com.
For more information concerning programs at the library, visit cumberlandcountync.gov/library, visit social media at facebook.com/CumberlandCountyPublicLibrary or call 910-483-7727.