November 8: Saturday Morning Stories with Larry Johnson & Elaine Wynne

Listeners of all ages, especially young children and their families and caregivers, are invited to enjoy a free hour of interactive storytelling followed by a hands-on artmaking activity. There will be free treats for the kids. Grown-ups may purchase coffee drinks, beer, and pastries.

Award-winning storytellers Larry Johnson and Elaine Wynne will celebrate Veteran’s Day during their return engagement at Saturday Morning Stories.

For close to 60 years Larry and Elaine have told stories to keep the world safe for children.  Larry was an army medic during the War in Vietnam and is a member of  the Bloomington American Legion.  Elaine started the Veteran Resilience Project to make EMDR therapy available to Minnesota Veterans. They've told stories in many places, but first  to their children, then their grandchildren, and now their great grandchildren.

Story Arts of Minnesota collaborates with Badger Hill Brewing to showcase the metro’s best storytellers for children on the second Saturday of every month. Admission is always free!

GIVE TO THE MAX for StoryFest & SAM

Once again, Story Arts of MN will participate in Give To the Max Day (GTMD25). November 20 is the statewide day of fundraising for Minnesota nonprofits and schools, but early giving starts on November 1. Follow our social media and this site for more details as the day approaches. Your contribution during GTMD25 makes us eligible for cash prize drawings that can add to the impact of your donation.

SAM on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StoryArtsMN
SAM on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storyartsmn/

Give to the Max Day: https://www.givemn.org/

The theme for GTMD25 is “Gather to Give.” We love it! SAM is committed to gathering storytellers and story lovers together to listen, learn, and experience the joy and satisfaction of connecting to the ancient, but always fresh, art of oral storytelling. Please plan to be generous on GTMD!

October 26: A Night of Ghost Stories for Grown-Ups

Please join us for an evening of stories featuring ghosts, ghouls, and other creepy creatures!

We’re excited to present a storytelling show for grown-ups at Badger Hill Brewing. For nearly two years, the brewery has hosted SAM’s successful Saturday morning program for kids and families. It’s a casual venue to listen to talented, experienced tellers as they weave a spooky web of words.

There’s no cover charge. Instead, spend your money on tasty beverages and a tip for the tellers if you enjoy the tales.

StoryFest 2026 - SEEKING TELLERS AND WORKSHOP LEADERS!

SAM is now accepting applications from storytellers and workshop presenters for StoryFest 2026, our all-day celebration of the story arts on March 28 in Bloomington, MN.

Find full information and links to application forms at https://www.storyartsmn.org/storyfest2026-call

The selected tellers and workshop leaders will receive honoraria.

For examples of workshops and story programs at last year’s StoryFest, please visit https://www.storyarts.org/storyfest2025

October 11: Saturday Morning Stories with Pam Schweitzer

October brings cooler temperatures, beautiful foliage, pumpkins, and of course Halloween with its rich tradition of storytelling. Listeners of all ages, especially young children and their families or caregivers, are invited to enjoy a free hour of interactive storytelling with Pam Schweitzer, followed by a hands-on artmaking activity. There will be free treats for the kids. Grown-ups may purchase coffee drinks, beer, and pastries.

Pam loves a good folk tale and loves to learn about other people through the stories they tell.  She is a board member of Story Arts of Minnesota and has actively organized five different StoryFests since 2018.  Her style of storytelling is very physical and she uses physical humor to tell the story.  As a literacy intervention specialist, she knows the need that children have to cultivate their imaginations, grow their understanding of how they relate to this world and the understanding of how to navigate that world.  The wonder of story is that it does all those things, and is a blast.  Pam weaves interaction into her stories encouraging everyone to come along and enjoy the fun. 

On the second Saturday of every month, Story Arts of Minnesota collaborates with Badger Hill Brewing to showcase the metro’s best storytellers for children. Admission is free; a tip for the performer is always appreciated.

September 13: Saturday Morning Stories with Dan Gruhlke

Please join us on Saturday, September 13, 10-11am, at Badger Hill Brewing, 2805 Winners Circle Drive, Shakopee, MN, for a program of stories and creative activity. All ages are welcome! There will be free snacks and beverages for the children. Adults may purchase coffee or beer and pastries. There is no cover charge.

The featured storyteller this month is Dan Gruhlke. Dan has spent over three decades “listening to the littlest” and exchanging stories with preschoolers, kindergartners, and first graders. It has been said of him that he “speaks fluent five-year-old,” and he greatly enjoys his interactions. After over a 35-year education career, Dan continues to enrich and engage young audiences through oral storytelling and songs. You’ll often find him dressed in his storytelling overalls, guitar nearby, rarin’ to tell or sing “just one more,...pleeeeaaassssse.”

Story Arts of Minnesota produces Saturday Morning Stories on the second Saturday of each month with a rotating roster of local storytellers. If you have experience telling stories to children and their accompanying grown-ups, and you’d like to be part of the program, please email us to express your interest - storyartsmn@gmail.com.

August 9: Saturday Morning Stories with Nicholas Pawlowski

Nicholas Pawlowski M. Ed. founded The Story Table Foundation to promote mental and emotional wellbeing through interactive storytelling!  Nicholas believes that children learn best when we talk with rather than at them.  Consequently, his use of improvisation, drawing and dancing help foster healthy childhood development, as well as teach values like empathy, thankfulness, kindness and cooperation. 

Over the years, Nicholas has observed that children's programs are better when they're intergenerational.  Nicholas strives to present timeless tales that people of all ages can grow up with rather than out of!   The contributions of our elders and extended family members are always welcome! Learn more at www.storytablefoundation.org

Saturday Morning Stories is a joint project of Story Arts of Minnesota and Badger Hill Brewing. On the second Saturday of each month, at 10am, Badger Hill Brewing (2805 Winners Circle Drive, Shakopee, MN) joyfully opens its doors to children and adults who love a good story. With no cover charge and free treats for the youngsters, the rotating cast of professional storytellers present a lively mix of tales told in the traditional way with audience participation and a craft activity afterwards. The brewery offers a full menu of coffee and tea drinks in addition to its popular beers for adults to enjoy as they listen.

September 6: Annual SAM Membership Meeting and Open Mic

SAM’s annual membership meeting is open to all current, past, and prospective members. Come to learn what programs and events SAM is engaged in now, and what dreams and ideas are germinating but need more volunteer energy to sprout and flourish. Bring your own ideas for fruitful action to advance SAM’s dual mission of promoting the art of storytelling and developing and supporting storytellers.

And then, because we put a premium on creativity and using your voice, we’ll follow the business agenda with an open storytelling mic—another chance to flex your creative muscles and speak up (or just relax and be part of the audience).

One important agenda item at every annual meeting is the election of new Board members. We encourage anyone interested in promoting storytelling to apply to join the Board.  We especially need people with website and social media skills.

Here is a link to the google form for board nominations. You may nominate yourself or anyone else you believe would be good in the role.
https://forms.gle/kLBGaFbQ92W9STMU8

July 12: Saturday Morning Stories with Trần Thị Minh Phước

Trần Thị Minh Phước is a retired librarian, an award-winning author, an Alphabet Forest Blue Ribbon author at the Minnesota State Fair 2022, and a respected storyteller. She shares her experiences and knowledge of Vietnamese culture at cultural events, storytelling programs, conferences, libraries, colleges and schools throughout the US. She lives in Minneapolis.
For more information, visit https://phuocthiminhtran.wordpress.com.

Saturday Morning Stories is a joint project of Story Arts of Minnesota and Badger Hill Brewing. On the second Saturday of each month, at 10am, Badger Hill Brewing (2805 Winners Circle Drive, Shakopee, MN) joyfully opens its doors to children and adults who love a good story. With no cover charge and free treats for the youngsters, the rotating cast of professional storytellers present a lively mix of tales told the old-fashioned way (no books or notes!) with audience participation and a craft activity afterwards. The brewery offers a full menu of coffee and tea drinks in addition to its popular beers for adults to enjoy as they listen.

May 10: Saturday Morning Stories with Sue Searing and Pam Schweitzer

The dynamic duo of storytelling, Sue Searing and Pam Schweitzer, return to the monthly Saturday Morning Stories program with their favorite folk tales and sing-alongs that feature insects, plus a story that Sue's mother made up many, many years ago. There will be free treats for the kids, a craft project following the story time, and an opportunity for the adults to purchase coffee, beer, and/or pastries. (Sue highly recommends the cardamom latte.) There’s no cover charge, but feel free to tip the tellers if you enjoy the stories!

Story Arts of Minnesota produces Saturday Morning Stories on the second Saturday of each month with a rotating roster of local storytellers. All ages are welcome, although this program will appeal most to preschool and school-aged youth and their accompanying adults.

Sue Searing loves to tell all sorts of stories: traditional folk and fairy tales; stories drawn from history and family lore; and original tales inspired by her own life experiences. Sue has performed at schools, theaters, churches, breweries, libraries, coffeehouses, and (with Pam) at the State Fair. She engages audiences online and on the radio, as well as in person. Sue has won story slams in the Twin Cities and took first place in the Great American Story Contest in Park Rapids, MN. Until recently she was a core member of SAM’s board of directors and managed SAM’s online presence. You can learn more about Sue (and hear more of her stories) at suesearing.com.

Pam Schweitzer loves a good folk tale and loves to learn about other people through the stories they tell.  She is a board member of Story Arts of Minnesota and has actively organized five different StoryFests since 2018.  Her style of storytelling is very physical and she uses physical humor to tell the story.  As a literacy intervention specialist, she knows the need that children have to cultivate their imaginations, grow their understanding of how they relate to this world and the understanding of how to navigate that world.  The wonder of story is that it does all those things, and is a blast.  Pam weaves interaction into her stories encouraging everyone to come along and enjoy the fun. 

StoryFest 2025 was a blast! Thank you to our sponsors and donors!

We’re still looking through the feedback forms and tallying attendance at the various sessions, but it’s already obvious that StoryFest 2025 on April 5 was a resounding success! Members of the community, professional storytellers, and aspiring tellers came together at the Bloomington Center for the Arts for a full day and evening of story-focused learning, listening, and sharing.

We couldn’t have produced a free event of such quality and variety without the support of our sponsors. A BIG THANK YOU to our generous heros! May they all live happily ever after!

• City of Bloomington Parks & Recreation

• City of Bloomington Creative Placemaking Commission

• American Legion, Bloomington Post 550

• Badger Hill Brewing

• Sandbar Storytelling Festival

• American School of Storytelling

• Texas Storytelling Festival

• The many “Friends of StoryFest” who made individual gifts on Give to Max Day

It’s not too early to think how you, your business, or an organization you belong to can contribute to StoryFest 2026. Donations of any amount will be deeply appreciated. Just as important will be folks who can volunteer to brainstorm and plan or to help with creative marketing and community outreach. If you’d like to get involved, please get in touch at storyartsmn@gmail.com.

April 12: Saturday Morning Stories with Jen Scott

Please join us on Saturday, April 12, 10-11am, at Badger Hill Brewing, 2805 Winners Circle Drive, Shakopee, MN, for a program of stories and creative activity. All ages are welcome, although this program will appeal most to school-aged youth. There will be free snacks and beverages for the kids, and coffee, beer, and pastries on sale for the grown-ups. There is no cover charge, but tips are welcome.

The featured storyteller this month is Jen Scott. Jen is a Twin Cities-based theater performer, musician, storyteller, producer, and teaching artist. She produces Bring Your Kids!, a more-than-monthly comedy variety show for kids and their grown ups. More info on Jen at octoberdandy.com. 

Story Arts of Minnesota produces Saturday Morning Stories on the second Saturday of each month with a rotating roster of local storytellers. If you have experience telling stories to children and their accompanying adults, and you’d like to be part of the program, please email us to express your interest - storyartsmn@gmail.com.

April 5: "Playful Creativity" workshop with Laura Packer

“The creation of something new is not accomplished by intellect but by...play” (Carl Jung).

StoryFest 2025, SAM’s all-day community celebration of the art of storytelling, traditionally leads off with a 90-minute intensive workshop. We’re thrilled that Laura Packer will lead a session this year that she calls “Playful Creativity: Breaking Blocks, Deepening Telling, Fooling Your Insecurities.” The workshop is scheduled for 10:30am to noon, Saturday April 5, at the Bloomington Center for the Arts, 1800 Old Shakopee Road, Bloomington, MN.

She describes it thus: “We work hard on our stories, sometimes getting blocked or frustrated. Through play we move beyond boundaries, learn new things about character, plot, technique and ourselves. Expect to stretch your creative boundaries with improv, games, creativity exercises and more. Participants will learn several new creativity techniques applied to storytelling and will leave with the seeds of a new tale.”

Laura Packer is a inventive storyteller with a reputation for nurturing creativity in others. She knows the best way to truth is through a good story; she has told, taught, ranted, raved, coached, consulted, and considered storytelling for over 30 years. She loves how stories connect people and help us dream bigger. Laura has won many awards including the National Storytelling Network’s Circle of Excellence. Laura holds a degree in folklore and mythology and is the author of From Audience to Zeal: The ABCs of Finding, Crafting, and Telling a Great Story, winner of Storytelling World’s highest honors. Find out more at laurapacker.com and patreon.com/laurapacker.

REGISTRATION AND PAYMENT ARE REQUIRED FOR THIS 90-MINUTE INTENSIVE WORKSHOP.

$30 SAM member
$35 general public
$15 student (with student ID)

LINK to REGISTER & PAY

March 8: Saturday Morning Stories with Carol McCormick

Welcome spring!

Please join us on Saturday, March 8, 10-11am, at Badger Hill Brewing, 2805 Winners Circle Drive, Shakopee, MN, to celebrate spring with stories and make a flower. All ages are welcome, although this program will appeal most to school-aged youth. There will be free snacks and beverages for the children. Adults may purchase coffee or beer and pastries. There is no cover charge.

The featured storyteller this month is Carol McCormick. Carol has been known as a Storyteller Who Helps Imaginations Fly. She has been entertaining children and their families for 40 years at parks, schools, preschools, churches, fairs and festivals. Some parents who heard her tell stories when they were children have introduced her to their children. Carol views storytelling as a wonderful way to experience community and joy. With stories

Story Arts of Minnesota produces Saturday Morning Stories on the second Saturday of each month with a rotating roster of local storytellers. If you have experience telling stories to children and their accompanying grown-ups, and you’d like to be part of the program, please email us to express your interest - storyartsmn@gmail.com.

March 15: StoryFest preview with Nicholas Pawlowski

Can’t wait for StoryFest on April 5 at the Bloomington Center for the Arts? Come to the Penn Lake Library, 8800 Penn Avenue, Bloomington, MN, for a free, interactive session with Nicholas Pawlowski, founder of The Story Table and current President of the Board of Directors of Story Arts of Minnesota. On Saturday, March 15, 10-11am, Nicholas will recount the story of “The Boy Who Went to the Sun” in his inimitable style enhanced with music and movement. The tale is perfect for older preschool and younger elementary school kids, but anyone of any age will enjoy it.

Nicholas is one of nearly 40 storytellers who will share their talents at StoryFest, our annual all-day celebration of oral storytelling in its many forms. For more information about StoryFest, see https://www.storyartsmn.org/storyfest2025 or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

New StoryFest sponsor: Tejas Storytelling Association

Story Arts of Minnesota is thrilled to be partnering this year with the Tejas Storytelling Association to promote each other’s annual festivals. Do you dream of escaping the single-digit temperatures here in the snowy north? Plan a trip to Denton, Texas, for the 40th Annual Texas Storytelling Festival. The festival takes place March 6 – 9, 2025 at the Civic Center in Denton, Texas.

Here’s information the organizers shared with us:

Celebrate forty years of the Texas Storytelling Festival. Everyone loves a good story! Join us for some good old fashioned entertainment March 6-9, 2025. Hear personal stories, ghost tales, folktales, liars contest, poetry slam, and more. In addition, participants can attend workshops to hone their own storytelling skills. Nationally known tellers include Bil Lepp, Charlotte Blake Alston, Cooper Braun, and Mo Reynolds. Weekend passes and individual event tickets are available. Early bird deadline is February 26. Join us and experience the delight and power of live storytelling. You will be glad you did!

A weekend pass includes: 16 storytelling concerts, 11 workshops, liars contest, ghost stories, 1 story slam, 1 poetry slam, 4 youth activities and over 40 storytellers! 

Our Featured Tellers:

Bil Lepp tells outrageous, humorous tall-tales and witty stories that have earned him the appreciation of listeners of all ages and from all walks of life.

Charlotte Blake Alston breathes life into traditional and contemporary stories from African and African American oral and cultural traditions.

Cooper Braun's stories remind us that traditional stories can be funny, dark, poignant, and anything but dry.

Mo Reynolds blends folk tales with family stories to help us see that we are all connected by some key human truths and that we have far more in common than we think.

 Schedule, bios and registration information can be found at https://festival.tejasstorytelling.com/

Feb. 8: Saturday Morning Stories with Dan Gruhlke

Please join us on Saturday, February 8, 10-11am, at Badger Hill Brewing, 2805 Winners Circle Drive, Shakopee, MN, for a program of stories and creative activity. All ages are welcome, although this program will appeal most to school-aged youth. There will be free snacks and beverages for the children. Adults may purchase coffee or beer and pastries. There is no cover charge.

The featured storyteller this month is Dan Gruhlke. Dan has spent over three decades “listening to the littlest” and exchanging stories with preschoolers, kindergartners, and first graders. It has been said of him that he “speaks fluent five-year-old,” and he greatly enjoys his interactions. After over a 35-year education career, Dan continues to enrich and engage young audiences through oral storytelling and songs. You’ll often find him dressed in his storytelling overalls, guitar nearby, rarin’ to tell or sing “just one more,...pleeeeaaassssse.” Dan looks forward to meeting you at Badger Hill Brewing.

Story Arts of Minnesota produces Saturday Morning Stories on the second Saturday of each month with a rotating roster of local storytellers. If you have experience telling stories to children and their accompanying grown-ups, and you’d like to be part of the program, please email us to express your interest - storyartsmn@gmail.com.

JAN. 20: Extended Deadline for StoryFest stories and workshops!

The StoryFest planning committee has extended the deadline for proposals through Monday, January 20.

StoryFest 2025 will take place on Saturday, April 5, at the Bloomington (MN) Center for the Arts. In addition to several workshops and community showcases, there will be multiple curated opportunities to tell stories, including five 10-minute spots in the morning Youth & Family story concert, twelve daytime spots for 10-minute tales, and six 15-minute spots in the evening Adult story concert. We hope to receive proposals that demonstrate a range of storytelling genres and performance styles. In the same vein, we seek proposals for workshops that will address beginning and/or experienced tellers, and that will cover fundamental aspects of the art and/or novel approaches.

Find more details and guidelines along with links to proposal forms at https://www.storyartsmn.org/storyfest2025-call

If you have questions, please contact the StoryFest planning committee (Pam Schweitzer, chair) at storyartsmn@gmail.com.

Jan. 11: Saturday Morning Stories with Laura Adrian

Story Arts begins its second year of monthly interactive storytelling programs for children and adults at Badger Hill Brewing. Join us every second Saturday, 10-11am, for tales designed to delight a mixed age audience. Come to listen and laugh, perhaps sing or dance, and finish up with a hands-on art activity.

Admission is free. There’s free snacks and drinks for the children, and grown-ups may purchase coffee or beer. Tips for the storytellers are always appreciated.

January will feature Laura Adrian. Laura is a nature connection facilitator, speaker, writer, and wilderness guide, dedicated to bringing people closer to the natural world. Laura is the Founder of Whole Life Elevation, where she offers mindful nature adventures. As a storyteller, Laura loves sharing stories inspired by nature!

Jan. 10: Deadline to propose StoryFest stories and workshops

SAM seeks stories and workshops for StoryFest 2025, our annual, all-day, all-ages celebration of storytelling on Saturday, April 5 in Bloomington, MN. Find all the details and links to online proposal forms HERE. Presenters will receive an honorarium.