The 23rd Annual Cave Run Storytelling Festival will take place Friday, September 29 and Saturday, September 30 at the Twin Knobs Recreational Area. Every year, guests travel from across the country to immerse themselves in the art of storytelling.
Louise Mason is the financial manager for the Cave Run Storytelling Festival. She said the event helps attendees get away from the hustle of everyday life and enjoy Morehead’s Cave Run Lake.
“There’s a chance to see the trees as they change color. There are usually geese, you'll see other wildlife. We have a variety of vendors that come in, and so it’s a chance for some people to eat festival food, which is fortunately not something that we all do all the time,” said Mason.
The event, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, will feature multiple storytellers from across the country. Performers include the festival’s newcomer Ray Christian, grammy-nominated musician Josh Goforth, and Donald Davis, who has performed at the festival every other year since its inauguration.
Carolyn Franzini is a co-founder of the Cave Run Storytelling Festival. She said the event begins on Thursday every year, but the first day is reserved exclusively for students and school programs.
“We have 3,000 school students come on Thursday and Friday to the festival. The public also comes on Friday, but we have students coming from Lexington, from all around- all the counties around us,” said Franzini. “That’s something that teachers are very excited about, and they often use it as a vehicle.”
Preparations for the storytelling festival begin well in advance. Officials said this year’s storytellers were contracted soon after the 2022 festival ended. Chloe Mace, publicity coordinator for the festival, said there are many moving parts that make the storytelling festival successful.
“From an outside perspective, I didn’t realize all the preparation that goes into it. There are so many people on our committee doing so many different jobs so we can have a wonderful event that the town enjoys. It’s very intricate, but it’s full of love and excitement for something that happens every single year,” said Mace.
Franzini said the event at Twin Knobs is engaging and she hopes people carry it with them when they go home.
“All these storytellers are entertaining and very engaging. Everybody will relate to their stories. I want them to come and have a great time at the festival, but what I hope people realize, maybe they have stories that they need to share with their family,” said Franzini.
Pre-registration for the two-day event has been extended to Monday, September 18. More information on the event, tickets, and volunteer opportunities can be found at caverunstoryfest.org or the Cave Run Storytelling Festival Facebook page.