Lots of free events to enjoy at Hastings Storytelling Festival

All the festival events are free to enjoy with most of them taking place online.

Festival Trustee Dick Edwards said: “If someone had told us last autumn that a global pandemic would send this year’s festival online, we might have accused them of making up stories. Sometimes fact is indeed stranger than fiction.

“Bright shoots have come from the devastation wreaked on the entertainments industry.

“Support from Arts Council England has helped storytellers for Hastings Storytelling Festival to adapt for digital audiences. And for those hungry for real-world, socially distanced, entertainment, there’s Gareth E Rees at The Pig’s Palace, and Dan The Hat at Stade Hall.

“Local school children are enjoying free workshops with Storyteller-in-Residence, Anna Mudeka and Artist-in-Residence, Sarah Evans, who has created free illustration video-workshops available through the Festival website, hastingsstoryfest.org.uk.

“Schools are busy creating book wagons with Radiator Arts for the online parade at the Children’s Book Carnival on Sunday October 25 and supported by Read Your Way from Hastings Opportunity Area.

The week begins with four evenings of culinary stories for adults only with our ‘Kitchen Goddess’, storyteller, Xanthe Gresham telling a different story with some conversation too on Mon-Thurs at 7:30pm online.

On Friday October 23 Hastings psychogeographer, Gareth E Rees, enters a familiar yet alien landscape of industrial estates and electricity pylons, motorway service stations and council houses, roundabouts and flyovers, launching his new book of ‘Unofficial Britain’ at The Pig’s Palace for pre-booked audiences and live-streamed with a Zoom audience.

Saturday 24 sees seven short Covid-safe family performances with comedian, juggler, and stupid stuntman, Dan the Hat at Stade Hall. Followed by a day of stories online, Sunday 25th, for Children’s Book Carnival. Hosts Loulou and Ben welcome storytellers, puppets, workshops, and the online parade showing the best of schools’ wagon-making.

“We’re so excited to host a Festival within this year’s pandemic – there really is something for everyone

“We’re working with great partners including 18 Hours, and Isolation Station Hastings to deliver socially-distanced events, and online storytelling to reach new audiences, and it’s all free!’

For full details, visit hastingsstoryfest.org.uk.

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