Vashon Wilderness Program (VWP) will host its 13th Annual Storytelling Festival on Sunday, January 26 at 1pm at the Vashon Theatre on Vashon Island. This free, family-friendly event is “for the community, by the community” and will feature nature-based stories–personal, mythic, and ancestral–told by VWP’s seasoned staff and audience members alike.

Storytelling is a core routine at VWP’s nature-immersion programs. Their staff practice oral traditions to inspire the children and instill valuable lessons in wilderness survival, naturalist skills, and community building. VWP students also practice sharing their own stories, both to help deepen their learning journeys and to discover their authentic voices.

Audience members of all ages are invited to bring a prepared 5-minute story, spin a tale in the One-Minute Story-thon, or join the fun, interactive group storytelling improv games.

The Storytelling Festival is best suited for ages 4 and older. Guests are encouraged to arrive early to purchase snacks and sign up for a tellers’ spot.

VWP (a 501c3 non-profit) provides nature immersion programs for people for all ages from Vashon and surrounding Puget Sound communities. To date, VWP has helped nearly 4,500 children, teens, adults, and families connect deeply with themselves, each other, and nature through their transformative nature mentoring programs, camps, workshops, and trainings.