Shoals Storytelling Festival Returns May 15-17

by Staff February 18, 2025

written by Staff February 18, 2025 0 comment

FLORENCE-The Shoals Storytelling Festival is back at the historic Shoals Theatre May 15-17, 2025. Check out the storytellers below.

The Shoals Storytelling Festival, listed as a Top Twenty Events in the Southeast, began in 2011 as the Front Porch Storytelling Festival, was originally hosted on the campus of the University of North Alabama (UNA) in Florence, a city on the banks of the Tennessee River in northwestern Alabama. In 2017, the Festival moved to the historic Shoals Theatre in downtown Florence, and was renamed The Shoals Storytelling Festival, acknowledging its home in “the Shoals,” an area made up of the four cities of Florence, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. The Quad Cities is an area rich in history, stories, and music. It’s the birthplace of Helen Keller and W. C. Handy, and the site of FAME Studios and the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio.

2025 Storytellers

DONALD DAVIS
The author of eighteen books and more than forty original recordings, Donald is the recipient of both the Circle of Excellence and the Lifetime Achievement Awards from the National Storytelling Network.

DOLORES HYDOCK
Dolores has been a featured teller at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough and many other festivals, has served as Teller-in-Residence at the International Storytelling Center, and has won Resource Awards from Storytelling World Magazine for her twelve CDs of original stories.

BIL LEPP
Bil’s stories often start out plausible, then quickly morph into the outrageous and fantastic. On occasion, he is completely serious and you can follow him into stories of the courage and honor of ordinary folks. But beware—Bil’s wit will hit and you will never see it coming!

JACKIE MICKEL
Jackie Mickel is a true Gullah descendant. She is currently the lead Gullah presenter at “da Gullah Theater” at Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant, SC. Jackie explores the Gullah culture through stories, song, and the presentation of many interesting facts concerning the Gullah people.

JOSH GOFORTH
Josh was able to listen and learn from local masters like Gordon and Arvil Freeman and Jerry Adams. Goforth is a highly accomplished storyteller and acoustic musician playing close to 20 different instruments.