What will your memories of Summer 2017 be?

Most people form specific memories that stand out in Technicolor vividness because of their significance or intensity. Every year, the PowellsWood Garden Storytelling Festival in upper Redondo aims to create several of those by bringing together the exquisite beauty of the garden with stories that reflect our humanity.

Rebecca Chamberlain explains. “There was one moment that I can’t forget. Angela Lloyd was telling one of Richard Kennedy’s stories, along with a soulful song she wrote to accompany it. Throughout her performance, a beautiful dragonfly perched on a large stalk behind her, occasionally circling in the light and returning to rest behind her. The story—about constant change and transformation of life—was meaningful on its own, but having the flowers, light and dragonfly move in and out of the narrative gave it magical significance… It felt as grounded and real as life can be.”

The goal of the festival, scheduled for July 21-22 this year, is to leave the audience feeling uplifted. 2017’s featured tellers embody this purpose. Donald Davis will share stories from his forty-plus books and CDs including his latest, Tales from a Free-Range Childhood. MaryGay Ducey, who has been praised for her “elegant, witty, and deeply moving” stories, leaves audiences feeling hopeful. Linda Gorham’s performances are filled with surprising twists, unconventional humor, and “sophisticated attitude.” Bill Harley, a Grammy Award winner and NPR commentator, excites audiences of all ages with his wildly funny songs and imaginative stories. Antonio Sacre, a bilingual teller, draws inspiration from the traditions of his Cuban father and Irish-American Mother.

Honoring the knowledge that everyone wants to be heard when they speak, the festival schedule includes workshops which allow participants to learn that little something extra that really gets people listening. Workshops run Friday from 9:00 a.m.to 3:00 p.m. Master tellers provide tips of the trade and coaching in the art of telling a great story. Workshop content is relevant to many professional paths, from non-profit administrators looking to hone their skill in telling the stories of their organizations to educators working on perfecting their content presentation. Bill Harley’s workshop “The Power of Story” is from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. MaryGay Ducey’s workshop “Risk and Roses: Stories in Service to Social Change” runs from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Donald Davis’s Personal and Family Story Intensive is from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The intensive with Davis is limited to ten participants and sells out each year so early registration is recommended.

Friday’s “A Trio of Tellers” provides an introduction to the festival experience with a short family-focused program from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Friday’s Free Children’s Program is designed to entertain school-aged children in summer camp programs or daycares with performances selected specifically for them. The short program is followed by a brief tour of the garden. Sessions available at 9:30 a.m., 11:15 a.m., and 1:00 p.m. (Groups must pre-register by email at [email protected].)

The full lineup of tellers performs Saturday, with seven jam-packed hours of riveting performances. Tellers rotate among the three festival tents to provide all attendees with a sampling of their unique telling style. Gates open at 9:00 a.m., telling from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

You have a lot of options for having fun and creating lasting memories this summer. The Festival could be a great one!

Tickets for Friday’s A Trio of Tellers are $10.00 per family, and all-day Saturday tickets are $20.00 for adults, $5.00 for children and $40.00 for a family pass. A full-festival pass is $125.00. Individual workshop pricing ranges from $50.00 to $115.00. Pre-registration is required for workshops and the free children’s program. A Trio of Tellers and Saturday tickets may be purchased at the gate. All tickets may also be purchased at Brown Paper Tickets or powellswoodfestival.com.

Friday lunch for workshop attendees can be pre-ordered with tickets. Saturday lunches may be purchased the day of festival from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Picnicking is also permitted.

There is no parking at the garden during the festival. Visitors with handicapped designated vehicles should call ahead to discuss special parking options. Festival parking will be accommodated at Sacajawea Park at 1401 S. Dash Point Road. Shuttle transportation is provided from the parking lot to the garden and runs continuously.

The festival is held at PowellsWood Garden, a public display garden, at 430 South Dash Point Road which has regular open hours April through October on July 21^st & 22^nd the garden is only open for Festival activies. More information on visitation options can be found at powellswood.org.

About PowellsWood Garden: Federal Way’s “Place to Restore the Soul” is funded by the Powellswood Garden Foundation 501(c)(3). The garden is located at 430 S Dash Point Road and has been a special local destination since 2001.