Pigeon Forge's Smoky Mountain Storytelling Festival Set for February

Forget everything your mother ever told you about not stretching the truth - at least for a few days in February.

Not only do some folks in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., allow exaggeration at this special time, they even teach you the best way to do it.

The Smoky Mountain Storytelling Festival, set this year for Feb. 7-9, brings several thousand weavers of tall tales to the city to hone their craft and to hear experts expound on how the best stories are told. The storytellers who come range from the very young to the very old, from professionals to just-beginning amateurs.

Storytelling is a time-honored tradition, especially in this part of the country. Because part of the reason for the festival is to give youngsters the chance to learn about continuing this Southern tradition, special events are planned just for them.

The featured event for young people is the National Youth Storytelling Showcase. Performers, age 17 and younger, come from all over the country to weave tall tales and compete for the title of Grand Torchbearer.

This year's professional storytellers come to Pigeon Forge from all over the United States and even beyond its borders. Tellers scheduled to perform include Waddie Mitchell, a cowboy poet and storyteller from Nevada; Bil Lepp, five-time champion of the West Virginia Liars Contest; Carmen Agra Deedy, an author and storyteller born in Havana, Cuba; Mitch Weiss and Martha Hamilton, a husband-and-wife team; and Willy Claflin, who has been featured at storytelling festivals around the world.

RETURNING FAVORITE
Old Mill Haunts `n' Haints Tales, a festival favorite, is back with evening offerings of ghost stories that the entire family can enjoy. The spooky stories come out from 9:30 to 11 p.m. Friday.

NEW THIS YEAR
Enchanted Tales in the Enchanted Ballroom at The Inn at Christmas Place. Storytellers Chloe Clunis, Waddie Mitchell, Willy Claflin and Carmen Agra Deedy will perform at this family event. It will be from 9:30 to 11 p.m. Saturday.

THE DETAILS
Storytelling concerts and workshops will take place at American Jukebox Theater. Day passes for Storytelling activities (excluding Haunts `n' Haints) are $10 for ages 18 and older, free to ages 17 and younger. Weekend passes are $25. Haunts `n' Haints tickets are $5 per person. They will be sold at the American Jukebox Theater. A complete schedule of Smoky Mountain Storytelling Festival events is also available, for easy reference for the whole family. A word to the wise: If you are planning to go, call ahead to be sure tickets aren't sold out.

HOW TO GET THERE
To get to Pigeon Forge, take I-59 North to I-24 East (just south of Chattanooga). Take I-24 East to I-75 North. Take I-75 North to U.S. 321 (Exit 81). Take U.S 321 South through Maryville to Pigeon Forge. It is about 290 miles from Birmingham.

Information courtesy of The Birmingham News