The World’s Finest Feast of Traditional Storytelling!
Celebrating 30 years of the Storytelling Festival, Growing Stories feeds the creativity of Scottish and international storytellers to unearth ancient roots and blossom new talent across Scotland.
The Advanced Programme is now online, jam-packed with fantastic events, workshops, talks, story walks and suppers, with something for everyone to enjoy and discover.
20 International Guests join over 50 Scottish Storytellers for a fortnight of storytelling celebration in the world’s leading festival city, as well as travelling throughout Scotland to connect with local communities and Scotland’s rich folk traditions.
At the heart of this year’s programme is Celtic traditions. Scotland and Ireland share a culture of uniting word, image and sound to pack an emotional punch, with plenty of events exploring the myths of Ireland and Scotland, as well as talks and workshops to explore the phenomenon of Celtic folklore.
With guests representing and travelling from Ireland, Northern Ireland, Sierra Leone, Wales, Belgium, Iceland, France, Canada, Egypt, USA and West Africa, there’s enticing opportunities to Meet the Storyteller, as well as Continuing Professional Development workshops for professional storytellers to learn from peers or new enthusiasts to soak up skills and network.
The Festival’s nightly Open Hearth events are the perfect way to end your day with local and international performers coming together to enchant audiences, sharing the joy of a tale connecting teller and listener as their words spin bridges between worlds.
You’ll have heard of a Burns Supper, but an Ossian Supper? Leave it to the Storytelling Festival to remix entertainment dating back to the first Stewart Kings, who loved storytelling, poetry and music. Ossian – a blind, 3rd century Scottish bard dubbed the ‘Homer of the North’ – is the narrator of poems translated by James Macpherson, which follow the trials of great warrior Fingal, purported to be versions of Fionn Mac Cumhaill’s son, warrior of the fianna, Oisin.
Come enjoy the saga!
This is just a smidgen of the riches on offer for 2018’s edition of the world’s finest feast of traditional storytelling, with 62 events in Edinburgh and plenty more to come from our regional partners for Festival on Tour, including more storytelling in Scotland’s Gardens with John Wheeler and Lizzie McDougall.
Enjoy having a browse through the advanced programme, ear mark some events for yourself and stay tuned for tickets going on sale in early September.
A Festival Supporter Pass is encouraged for discounts and offers so you can immerse yourself in our 13-day storytelling spectacular, available to purchase now.
