Whitewater Storytelling Festival

celebrate the magic of storytelling

Cultural Arts Center / Flat Iron Park

May 30-31, 2025

Celebrate the magic of storytelling at this magical festival at Whitewater Arts Alliance’s Cultural Arts Center featuring stories through arts, crafts, tellers, & food!

Embark on a magical journey of words, wonder, and creation at the much-anticipated Whitewater Storytelling Festival. This enchanting event occurs May 30th and 31st at the Whitewater Arts Alliance’s Cultural Arts Center where stories come alive and imaginations run wild.

Whitewater Arts Alliance Hosts Storytelling Festival May 30-31, 2025: Two Days of Stories, Music, and Community

Schedule

Friday, May 30, 6 - 9pm

Open Mic Night Emceed by Karen McCulloch of The Book Teller.

6 - 8pm Open Mic.
8 - 9pm Music by The Bog Bodies.

Friday Location: Inside the Cultural Arts Center Gallery, 402 W. Main Street, Whitewater. Light Refreshments by Whitewater Arts Alliance.

Saturday, May 31, 10am - 3pm

Children’s Tellers Morning Emceed by Sarah Beth Nelson.

9 - 10am: Noelle Larson & petting zoo.
10 - 10:30am: Caitlin McLeod puppetry.
10:30 - 11:15am: Andreas Transo & Maypole with strolling musicians.
11:15am - 12:15pm: Michael Drake (Mr. Pickles).

All Ages Tellers Afternoon Emceed by Sarah Beth Nelson.

12:15 - 12:45pm Sarah Beth Nelson.

12:45 - 1:30pm: Bilingual storytelling by Maritza Guerra and Silvana del Val.
1:30 -2:15pm: Blake Levinson.
2:15 - 3pm: Coral Conant-Gilles.

Children’s Activities on Saturday! Join us for a fun-filled day featuring Spin Art, Maypole dancing, May Crowns, and a Story Walk! Kids can also enjoy free books, flower pot painting, Cinderella book display, plus whimsical puppet performances throughout the event.

Grab a bite, browse handmade treasures, and enjoy the vibe! Craft and food vendors will be set up throughout the event, offering plenty to see, shop, and snack on.

Saturday Location: Rain or Shine! Outdoors at Flat Iron Park (weather permitting) or Inside the Cultural Arts Center Gallery (if inclement weather). Both are located at 402 W. Main Street, Whitewater.

Food Vendors: Annie’s Burgertown, Aunt Mable’s, La Preferida, Topper’s Pizza

Parking: CAC lot and city street parking is available with additional parking available at First English Lutheran Church.

The Storytelling Festival is made possible by its sponsors, whose contributions help bring professional storytellers, musicians, and interactive experiences to the community. Sponsors include The Coburn Company, First Citizens State Bank, First English Lutheran Church, Harbor Homes, Irvin L. Young Memorial Library, Lon’s Johns, UW-Whitewater Andersen Library, UW-Whitewater Student Optimist Club, and Whitewater Family Dentistry.

The Whitewater Storytelling Festival returns in 2025 with two days of engaging performances, live music, and community connection. This annual event brings together storytellers and musicians to entertain audiences of all ages. Founded in 2021, the festival has become a local tradition celebrating storytelling as an art form. This year, the Whitewater Arts Alliance is leading the production, ensuring the free event continues to grow.

The event kicks off on Friday, May 30, from 6pm-9pm at the Cultural Arts Center, 402 W. Main St, Whitewater, with an Open Mic Night, Emceed by Karen McCulloch of The Book Teller, from 6pm-8pm, where community members are invited to share their stories, poetry and music. At 8pm, local band, The Bog Bodies will take the stage for a live music performance. Light refreshments will be available, courtesy of the Whitewater Arts Alliance.

Saturday, May 31, features a full day of storytelling at Flat Iron Park (on the front lawn of the Cultural Arts Center), starting at 9am and running through 3pm, with Emcee Sarah Beth Nelson hosting the sessions.

The morning includes storytelling for children and families. Noelle Larson begins the day at 9am alongside a petting zoo experience. At 10am, Caitlin McLeod takes the stage with an interactive puppetry performance. Traditional Maypole dancing led by Andreas Transo begins at 10:30am, accompanied by strolling musicians. Wrapping up the morning session, Michael Drake (Mr. Pickles) delivers lively storytelling from 11:15am-12:15pm.

The afternoon lineup brings storytelling for all ages. Sarah Beth Nelson starts the session at 12:15pm, followed by a bilingual storytelling performance with Maritza Guerra and Silvana del Val from 12:45pm-1:30pm. At 1:30pm, Blake Levinson shares his stories, leading into the festival’s closing session with Coral Conant-Gilles at 2:15pm.

The event will feature a vendor market from 10am-3pm, showcasing local artists, authors, and craftspeople. Throughout the day, food trucks will be available, serving meals and snacks. Kids of all ages can enjoy hands-on flower pot painting, hosted by the staff of the Irvin L. Young Library.

Additionally, Linda Robinson’s Cinderella book collection will be on display inside the Cultural Arts Center, offering a fun look at the different ways this classic fairy tale has been told and illustrated over the years. From vintage storybooks to modern takes, the collection highlights the creativity behind Cinderella’s many versions. Whether you love fairytales, unique artwork, or just a bit of nostalgia, it’s a great chance to see how this timeless story has evolved!

The Storytelling Festival is made possible by its sponsors, whose contributions help bring professional storytellers, musicians, and interactive experiences to the community. Sponsors include The Coburn Company, First Citizens State Bank, First English Lutheran Church, Harbor Homes, Irvin L. Young Memorial Library, Lon’s Johns, UW-Whitewater Andersen Library, UW-Whitewater Student Optimist Club, and Whitewater Family Dentistry.

The Whitewater Storytelling Festival promises entertainment for attendees of all ages, with talented storytellers and musicians for the young and young-at-heart. From children’s stories and interactive activities that will spark the creativity of the little ones, to all-ages storytelling sessions that will captivate audiences of every generation, this festival truly has something for everyone.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to explore a diverse art exhibit as well as vendor market showcasing unique products that carry their very own stories, adding a touch of narrative charm to your shopping experience.

Above all, the Whitewater Storytelling Festival is a celebration of the magic of storytelling. This event celebrates storytelling through arts, crafts, tellers, and food and how storytellers take us to worlds beyond our very own.

The Whitewater Storytelling Festival has been serving the residents of Whitewater with quality engagement with the storytelling arts annually since 2021 as part of the Whitewater Chamber of Commerce. In 2025, the Storytelling Festival has joined with the Whitewater Arts Alliance to continue that tradition. This year The Whitewater Storytelling Festival will take place on the evening of Friday, May 30 and during the morning and early afternoon of Saturday, May 31. The event will be held at the Whitewater Arts Alliance's home - The Historic White Memorial Library, now known as the Whitewater Cultural Arts Center - and in Flat Iron Park, the park with the beautiful fountain, in downtown Whitewater, Wisconsin.

The Whitewater Arts Alliance is a 501(c)3 charitable organization now produces The Whitewater Storytelling Festival. All donations to the storytelling festival are handled through the Whitewater Arts Alliance, and are tax-deductible. Please click on the Donate/Sponsor button below for more information on how to donate online or by sending a check through the mail.

The goal of The Whitewater Storytelling Festival is to celebrate the storytelling arts and to provide high-quality and engaging artistic entertainment for Whitewater residents. With storytellers for children and adults, as well as musical acts, Maypole dancing, spaces for artist and author vendors, and engagement with the Whitewater Arts Alliance gallery space, the festival aims to meet the needs of the community through interpersonal connection via the medium of traditional storytelling.

Your donation will help to bring in professional storytellers and performers to ensure a quality event for all the people of Whitewater.