Because this year’s Sandbar Storytelling Festival includes even more tellers and locations, it had to be longer to fit in all the fun. Between October 7-13, seven talented and renowned storytellers will present a variety of storytelling styles and topics in Winona schools, universities, churches, theaters, and local establishments. Passes and tickets are now available.
Two of this year’s headliners are:
The Rev. Robert B. Jones, Sr. – A returning storyteller from season 2022, the Rev. Jones, of Detroit, has been a professional musician and storyteller for more than 40 years. He has been a pastor for more than 20 years and has been a nationally recognized storyteller for more than 15. His speaking and musical skills educate, entertain, and inspire. At the heart of his message is the belief that our cultural diversity tells a story that we should celebrate, not just tolerate. Truly authentic and one of a kind, the Rev. Jones is a talented songwriter, storyteller, and he has the ability to play multiple instruments, combined with the fact he is an award-winning educator and has encyclopedic knowledge of the history of African American folk music, including blues, spiritual, and slave songs.
Rev. Jones’ 2022 visit to the Winona Area Learning Center was a huge hit with students, and he is back this year with new stories and music!
Katie Knutson – In Knutson’s 27 years as a storyteller and 20 years as a teaching artist, she has delivered arts-integrated residencies, performances, and classes to well over 35,000 kids. She has contributed to three books on storytelling and wrote/curated the New Voices column in Storytelling Magazine. She leads storytelling and arts integration workshops for adults, mentors, new storytellers, and teaching artists, is a Minnesota State DEVELOP guest trainer, and has worked as a teaching artist for several theater companies. Knutson has received several highly competitive Arts in Education grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board. She has also completed the ArtSage Arts in Aging Teaching Artist Training Program working with older adults across the aging spectrum.
Don’t miss Knutson’s performance on Friday, October 10, at 1 p.m. in “Three Femme Fa-Tales” as she joins two other female tellers, Dovie Thomason and Elizabeth Ellis, at the Historic Masonic Temple Theatre of Winona, 251 Main Street. This is a free event.
Then, on Saturday, October 11, check out the Rev. Jones at 10 a.m. and Winona’s Little Warriors Drumline at the Winona Public Library, 151 West Fifth Street. This event is also free for families and suitable for children.
Knutson is also managing the storytelling intensive for intermediate and advanced storytellers, led by Elizabeth Ellis, on Sunday and Monday, October 12-13, at the Alverna Center, 1175 West Wabasha Street. Application and registration fee required.
Catch them both at numerous other events throughout the festival at Saint Mary’s University. To learn more about this year’s storytellers, as well as the link to purchase festival tickets and passes, go to www.sandbarstorytellingfestival.org. For more information, email sandbarwinona@gmail.com or call 507-703-6001.
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