CITY of BEAVERTON NEWS RELEASE Media Relations 503-526-3737
[email protected] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 17, 2019 15TH ANNUAL STORYTELLING FESTIVAL: EVENTS AT BEAVERTON CITY LIBRARY AND OTHER COUNTY LIBRARIES BEAVERTON, Ore. – Washington County Cooperative Library Services (WCCLS) hosts the 15th Annual Storytelling Festival – Art of the Story – Saturday, April 27 through Saturday, May 4. The festival showcases 14 free, public events throughout the county. Featured are four professional storytellers: Rev. Robert B. Jones, Sr., (Detroit, Michigan), Jasmin Cardenas (Chicago, Illinois), Lawrence Howard (Portland, OR), and Kelly Hoffman (Portland, OR), and adult story slam contestants from the Portland metro area: Janet Liu, Patrick Gannon, Sankar Raman, Norina Beck and Mike Devenney. The festival kicks off on Saturday, April 27 from 7 to 9 p.m. with the 5th annual Adult Story Slam Contest hosted by Beaverton City Library (12375 SW 5th St). Audience members will be invited to cast their vote to determine which adult slam contestant will be invited back to share the stage at the May 4 Festival Finale showcase of storytellers. On Tuesday, April 30 from 4:30 to 6 p.m., Beaverton City Library is partnering with Washington County Disability, Aging & Veterans Services and the Elsie Stuhr Senior Center to feature five local tellers: Cynthia Butts, John Wylder, Janis Collins, Chuck McConnell and Frances Hunter at the Elsie Stuhr Center (5550 SW Hall Blvd). The Festival is supported in part by grants from WCCLS, the Regional Arts and Culture Council, Friends Groups of WCCLS member libraries, Recology, and Portland Storytellers’ Guild. Generous in-kind services are provided by Pamplin Media Group, Courtyard by Marriott, Glenn & Viola Walters Cultural Arts Center, Sherwood Center for the Arts, Reedville Catering, Washington County Disability, Aging & Veteran Services, Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District, and the Arts and Communication Magnet Academy.