Visit the East Anglian Storytelling Festival for an enchanting weekend filled with captivating tales, live performances, and family-friendly activities!

The East Anglian Storytelling Festival holds its 3rd Festival at the Stowmarket Food Museum on 17-19th May. The festival is proud to be supported by funding from Arts Council England, and from Mid Suffolk District Council for our work in the community. Immerse yourself in the picturesque surroundings of the museum grounds as you listen to stories passed down through generations in an ancient folk tradition that knows no age limit. From music and traditional dance to interactive sessions for families and tales from local communities, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. With a theme of ‘community’, the festival features tradition-bearers carrying centuries-old stories, alongside new tellers remaking the tradition for the future. Enjoy a thousand-year-old saga from Jewish storyteller Shonaleigh, dine on stories at Taffy Thomas’ Storyteller’s Supper, and hear about the traveller tradition of storytelling from Dan Allum, Amy Douglas and John Row.

Take part in ceilidhs, story rounds, and exciting interactive activities, listen to live music from talented musicians and watch engaging performance and dance from local communities. Enjoy evening tales tailored for grownups and young adults, with daytime programmes perfect for families. Journey around the museum’s historic buildings to find the stories and storytellers hidden inside them.

There’s than the stories: enjoy spoken word from the incomparable Trigger Bliss of the Song School, willow work from Glenys Newton, music from Lincolnshire folk hero Mossy Christian, local band Aartwork and others, and visit Nick Hennessey’s coffee van, where every cup of coffee comes with a story, heard through headphones that give you a whole soundscape along with the story.

For children, there will be magical puppet shows from Grethe Mangala Jensen, the chance to create your own future with the recycled magic of the Imaginarium workshop, and a chance to get stuck into books and book activities and games with Erin Hamilton of Suffolk libraries. As well as family storytelling shows all day, children will have a chance to take part in the children’s Spoken Word event, explore a virtual story hidden in the wild spaces of the Museum from Sarah Lloyd Winder: and of course the 88 acres of the Museum to explore, ancient buildings, baby animals and giant machines, along with shire horses and other animals including some very talkative donkeys.

Reviews: ‘Such a friendly festival’ (2023) ‘Fabulous stories and tellers’ (2023) ‘Magical stories, beautiful historic venue’ (2023)