Second Annual Amelia Island Stories & Songs Festival Brings Famed Storytellers and Performers to Amelia Island
Look Who’s Coming
An ongoing feature introducing some of the premier events coming to our area.
Joining Amelia Island’s family of prestigious festivals, Story & Song presents the Second Annual Amelia Island Festival of Stories & Songs. Donna and Mark Kaufman, owners of Story & Song Bookstore Bistro and founders of the Center of Arts & Culture, created the new festival to celebrate stories written, told, and performed. This year's Festival celebrates some of the best-known storytellers and performers in the country. The Festival promises to make audiences laugh, cry, think, and deliver unique experiences.
Thursday, January 30, 7:30 p.m. at the Springhill Marriott -
Jason Woods - “BING!”
The Festival opens with a local favorite, Jason Woods, an award-winning actor performing "BING!" A unique performance where the actor performs all 10 roles himself. Jason writes, directs, and composes all the orchestral music for his productions. "BING!" ran off-Broadway and was celebrated by the Times Square Chronicles, “Jason Woods is beyond talented and must be seen.”
Friday, January 31, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Story & Song- Connie Regan-Blake - “Cooking Up Stories, a Storytelling Workshop”
Learn about the art of storytelling from one of the best. Connie Regan-Blake brings wisdom, humor and drama through storytelling on main-stage concert halls, libraries, festivals, and the corporate world. Her presentation draws from her experience and promises to provide ideas and inspiration for new and experienced writers to look at stories in a fresh way, encouraging them to take the next step on their path of telling stories.
Friday, January 31, 2 p.m. at Story & Song – Cora Newcomb and Diane Johnson - “Bringing American Women’s History into Focus”
Learning about history through the magic of storytelling is an art. Cora Newcomb will share the "Story of Laura Matilda Towne," an American abolitionist and educator who co-founded the first school in the U.S. for newly freed slaves. Joining Newcomb, Diane Johnson will present "Zora Listened," utilizing a monologue storytelling style with audience engagement and a capella music. Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960) was an African American author, poet, anthropologist and folklorist who collected stories, songs and poems from African-Americans living in northeast Florida. In this show, these talented women will bring history to life sharing the little-known stories of strong women who played important roles in American history.
Friday, January 31, 7:30 p.m. at the Springhill Marriott -
Kevin Kling and Jon Vezner - “I Like This Town”
The event will open with April Armstrong, an award-winning storyteller and recipient of the National Storytellers Network’s 2020 J.J. Reneaux Emerging Artist. Kevin Kling, a storyteller with a large following, partners with Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Jon Vezner to entertain with a concert of stories and songs about why we love small towns.
Saturday, February 1, 10:30-11:30 a.m. at Story & Song and 1:30-2:30 p.m. at Wildlight YMCA -
April Armstrong –“Storytime: ‘Pourquoi Tales’”
Something for the young and young at heart, April Armstrong’s “Pourquoi Tales” offers inventive answers to the mysteries of the ages like “Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky” (A tale from Nigeria) and “Why Dogs Chase Cats” (an American folktale). Bring the whole family - come listen, sing along, and learn the answers to the mysteries of the universe!
Saturday, February 1, 2-4 p.m. at the Springhill Marriott -
Emcee – Robyn Lamp and featuring Connie Regan-Blake, Mary Martha Green, Nathalie Wu, Marsha Phelts, and Nicola Barnack - “Kitchen Talk: Stories from the Kitchen”
A highlight of the Festival will be the release of the much-anticipated cookbook "The Amelia Island Table: Celebrating Community with Stories & Recipes." The project is a joint partnership between Story & Song and the Barnabas Center. The book sales will benefit Barnabas, a non-profit helping those in need in Nassau County. Community members submitted the recipes offering a wide variety of recipes, from appetizers to desserts. A mix of home cooks and food professionals, joined by talented storytellers, will share stories celebrating food. Connie will close the session with “Stories to Feed the Soul and Tickle the Funny Bone."
Cookbooks will be available for purchase at the event for $35 or you can buy a combined admission ticket and cookbook for $60.
Saturday, Feb 1, 7:30-10 p.m. at the SpringHill Marriott
“The Stories That Connect Us”
This year’s festival features not one, but four incredible headliners, each bringing their own unique flair to the art of storytelling. Prepare for an evening of laughter, inspiration, and unforgettable tales! Our lineup includes:
Bil Lepp, the “King of Tall Tales,” whose laugh-out-loud stories blend humor and heart with a fresh perspective on life’s quirks. Known from the History Channel’s “Man vs. History.”
Connie Regan-Blake, from the Lincoln Center to the National Storytelling Festival, her wisdom, humor, and drama have captivated audiences across 47 states, 18 countries, and six continents.
Kevin Kling brings wit and wonder to the stage with tales from his journey as a writer, performer, and Minneapolis Story Laureate. Featured on NPR’s “All Things Considered” and PBS, Kevin’s masterful storytelling is sure to charm and move you.
Finally, experience the vibrant voice of April Armstrong, who weaves melodies and words into multicultural folktales. An award-winning performer, April’s tales have enthralled international audiences.
Don’t miss this remarkable evening showcasing the best of storytelling’s rich traditions!
Emcee: Sam Cobean
Sunday, February 1, 2-4 p.m. at the SpringHill Marriott – Bil Lepp and Lil’Rev perform “Bits & Pieces”
Known as the "King of Tall Tales," Bill Lepp is a five-time winner of West Virginia's Liars' Contest and well known for his appearances on the History Channel's "Man vs. History." He promises laugh-out-loud stories that will look at life's quirks and surprises. Bill will perform “That Ain’t the Whole Plan” and other tall tales from Half-dollar, West Virginia, and beyond.
Ukulele wizard Lil’Rev will perform “Scraps of Quilting Music: How Quilters Save the World,” an ode to the millions of quilters worldwide whose gifts of patience have kept us warm in the thick of winter, a piece of home in the thick of war, and showered our daily lives with a love that is unique to all the men and women who strive to let their stitches tell their story.
For tickets or more information, go to Story & Song or call 904-601-2188, or visit Story & Song Bookstore & Bistro, 1430 Park Avenue, Amelia Island.
