National Storytelling Festival
national storytelling festival held first full weekend october jonesborough tennessee international storytelling center national storytelling festival founded jimmy neil smith high school journalism teacher grown year become major festival united state internationally jimmy neil smith high school journalism teacher carload student heard grand ole opry regular jerry clower spin tale radio coon hunting mississippi smith inspired event create story telling festival northeast tennessee october first national storytelling festival held jonesborough tennessee hay bale wagon stage audience teller together didnt number two year first festival smith founded national association preservation perpetuation storytelling napps organization led america storytelling renaissance name organization shortened national storytelling association nsa another name change occurred nsa divided two separate organization national storytelling network nsn international storytelling center isc today isc promotes power storytelling creative application ancient tradition enrich human experience home workplace throughout world national storytelling network membership organization connecting people storytelling produced international storytelling center threeday outdoor festival feature performance internationally known artist existence almost year festival attracts nearly audience member annually including school group whose student attend educational experience festival build appalachian cultural tradition storytelling held circus tent scattered throughout jonesborough storyteller sit stage head tent perform usually five six tent close proximity festival goer easily walk tent tent performance performance past storyteller include pete seeger carmen agra deedy jay ocallahan donald davis syd lieberman andy offutt irwin sheila kay adam kathryn tucker windham festival expanded include growing rank youth storyteller including showcasing participant winner national youth storytelling showcase festival influenced development storytelling graduate degree program nearby east tennessee state university