Ogden District is looking for student storytellers of all ages to participate in the District Storytelling Festival, according to a November 3 statement. The program features the theme Let Your Story Roar! and welcomes stories in any language, including bilingual presentations.
The storytelling competition includes several key dates for the 2026-27 season. The last day to sign up for an audition time in a school library is December 3. School level auditions will take place from December 7-11, with the District Storytellers being announced on December 15. The District Storytelling Festival is scheduled for January 11 at BLHS at 5:00 and 6:30. Following the district event, WSU storytellers will be announced on January 15, leading into the Weber State Storytelling Festival scheduled for March 1-4.
Participants must prepare stories that are between 3 and 5 minutes in length. Eligible topics include folk tales, fairytales, family tales, personal tales, stories from books, or original stories. While any topic is acceptable, animal stories are specifically encouraged this year. Students may perform individually or via tandem telling with two students telling together.
Judging for the festival will be based on several criteria including poise, vocal clarity, voice expression, eye contact, body language, gestures, familiarity with the story, a satisfying ending, uniqueness, and audience appeal. Organizers recommend that students practice by telling stories to friends and family or performing in a mirror to experiment with different voices and pacing.
Students interested in participating should visit their school library to sign up for an audition time by the December 3 deadline. Additional information and questions can be directed to school libraries or via bit.ly/OSDstoryteller.
