Flint, MI­­—The Flint Public Library will present its 36th annual Michigan Storytellers Festival,  FREE, Saturday, July 9, 9am-9pm inside the Flint Public Library, 1026 E. Kearsley St., Flint (MI). Hear wit and wisdom, nonsense and tall tales. 

This years’ nationally known master storytellers are Ivory D. Williams known for his African diaspora tales, Yvonne Healy a master of Irish tales and Robert and Audrey Allison known as “The Storytellers” present tales accented with world music. The event emcee is La’Ron Williams, master storyteller, originally from Flint. 

The day begins at 9am with coffee. “The Storytellers” workshop “Visions and Voices” at 9:30am features Audrey Allison demonstrating how to develop voices for your story characters.  Ivory Williams will present a workshop at 11:30am “Grown Folks Talkin”…HUSH” stories not just for children. Yvonne Healy will help preserve the oral history tradition at 1:30pm with “Pocket Kin: Telling Family Stories.”

“Rhythm, Rhyme, Reading Time,” children and families can enjoy a concert with The Storytellers at 2pm. There will be tales and children will have the opportunity for hands-on exploration of several unusual instruments.

The Michigan Tellers Showcase, 3:30-5pm, will feature James Graham (African American stories), Robin Nott (art educator and musician) and Patti Smith (career tales).

There will be an improvisational workshop at 3:30-5pm with story artist Jenifer Strauss “Whose Story Is it Anyway?” Participants will learn strategies for telling stories on the fly. Registration is required for this program only, call 810.249-2569.

The event culminates from 6-9pm with The Storytellers, Ivory Williams and Yvonne Healy in concert for adults and children over age 10.

The festival is cosponsored by the Flint Public Library and the Friends of the Flint Public Library.

For a complete schedule of events check out the Web site at www.fpl.info/msf.  For more information call 810.249-2170. All Michigan Storytellers Festival events are FREE.