Happily Ever After: Storytelling Festival set for Saturday

ELLWOOD CITY ‒ The 21st annual free and family-friendly Storytelling Festival, Happily Ever After, is Saturday.

Nancy Wallace, youth services coordinator for the Ellwood City Area Library, said the festival's title, Happily Ever After, is in honor of Bill Pate. who is retiring.

"Bill has been a performer, helper and friend since the festival began. He will be missed," Wallace said.

The fun day includes free balloon art, face painting and horse-drawn wagon rides. Chief’s Pretzels and Henry’s Tasty Treats ice cream truck will be set up for attendees to purchase food.

The entertainment never ends; as each storyteller leaves the stage, musicians Sharon and Curt Savage entertain with lively songs and music.

At 4 p.m., Regina Rees, professor, literacy specialist and storyteller, is returning to the festival. Rees a professor emeritus at Youngstown University has spoken at workshops in the United States and Canada. She is active in the Poland Historical Society and Community Theater.

"Her experiences blend together in her superb storyteller," Wallace said.

At 4:45 p.m., Dr. Sparks, the storytelling alter ego of Karl J. P. Smith, is making his first appearance at the festival. Described as Mr. Rogers meets Bill Nye, Dr. Sparks puts a different slant on storytelling by combining it with science and turning kids on to science. He is well known in the Pittsburgh area where he performs at UPMC Children’s Hospital, the Children’s Museum, libraries and schools. With a biophysics PhD, he was a software developer for Amazon and helped design Alexa.

At 5:30 p.m., Michael Perry, a teacher by training and a performer at heart, returns to the festival. For over 25 years, Perry's extensive storytelling experience includes Pittsburgh Storytelling Festival, Hagerstown’s "Stories in the Round" and Pittsburgh’s annual Tellabration. He also tells his tales at libraries, festivals, schools and corporate events. His busy schedule includes teaching the art of storytelling.

At 6:15 p.m., Tim Hartman returns to the festival stage. He likes the intimacy of storytelling best, but he has appeared in over 300 plays and musicals and a number of Broadway shows and movies, including a Tony nomination for his role in "Finian's Rainbow." Hartman is also an award-winning political cartoonist and illustrator.

At 7 p.m., Bill Pate, singer, songwriter and musician, combines his talents and blends music and storytelling in an innovative way that entertains people of all ages.

Pate is making his final appearance at the festival and has planned a musical farewell to the event by joining with some former members of his band and his wife, Maggie, making it a memorable time.

"Bill has been our sound man and also entertained us with his music and stories for the last 19 years. Our festival will be his last appearance. It will be excellent, I’m sure, but it will not make up for the loss of Bill when next year’s festival rolls around. So sit back and listen because you won’t hear this sweet voice echo through the twilight park again," Wallace said.

Hosted by the Ellwood City Area Library and Ellwood City Community Enrichment, the festival is a celebration of stories for all ages. It is sponsored by WesBanco, The Hoyt Foundation and Caroline Knox Memorial Fund.

What: Storytelling Festival

Where: Ewing Park

When: 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturday

Admission: Free

4 – 4:30 p.m. Dr. Regina Rees

4:45 – 5:15 p.m. Dr. Sparks

5:30 – 6 p.m. Mike Perry

6:15 – 6:45 p.m. Tim Hartman

7 – 7:30 p.m. Bill Pate

This article originally appeared on Ellwood City Ledger: Ellwood City Storytelling Festival set for Saturday