Georgia Mountain Storytelling Festival

The 12th annual Georgia Mountain Storytelling Festival will showcase the art of storytelling with an emphasis on traditional and contemporary Appalachian stories. The GMSF offers storytelling and musical performances, children's events, and workshops so that community members, visitors from afar, and students of all ages can not only learn about the tradition and history of our region through storytelling but also have the opportunity to become part of its preservation.

We're thrilled to be at The Ridges Resort on Lake Chatuge (3499 US-76, Hiawassee, GA), a lovely lakeside venue with plentiful parking and a terrific view of the surrounding area. You're in for a treat!

If you can't attend the festival in person but don't want to miss the fun, you can sign up for an "online viewing" ticket and join us virtually. Selected sessions will be live streamed during the festival, and you will be able to watch recordings of the storytelling sessions and workshops for up to 30 days after the event.

• Connie Regan-Blake, who draws in listeners with her engaging humor and Southern charm as she shares stories ranging from hilarious traditional Appalachian Mountain tales to poignant true-life drama
• Peter Cook, an internationally renowned deaf performing artist who shares stories in a unique style that incorporates American Sign Language, pantomime, acting, and movement
• Lyn Ford, a fourth-generation storyteller who tells “home-fried” folktale adaptations, spooky tales, and original stories rooted in her family’s multicultural Affrilachian traditions
• Antonio Rocha, who fuses storytelling, mime, and sound effects to share spellbinding folktales, historical stories, and personal narratives
• Andy Offutt Irwin, a Georgia storyteller and singer/songwriter whose stories and songs bring laughter even as they underscore deeply important social messages

We’ll also showcase some stellar regional voices and special programming, including children’s stories, ghost stories, local history stories, a healing story workshop, and more.

The schedule, workshop descriptions, a venue map, a guide for teachers, and more will be posted on our website as the festival draws near: https://www.gamountainstoryfest.org/

Tickets

Early-bird general admission is $20 per day or $35 for two days. Students and their teachers, individuals with disabilities, and low-income individuals can attend for FREE. We also offer discounts for senior citizens, military personnel, and others. See https://www.gamountainstoryfest.org to reserve tickets.

Lodging

Looking for a great deal on lodging? Stay where the festival is being held! Our venue for this year's festival, The Ridges Resort on Lake Chatuge, is offering deeply discounted rooms to festival attendees. Call 706-896-2262, ext. #1, and ask for the GMSF2026 rate to reserve your room. Rooms are filling fast, and the discounted block will close 3/10/26, so reserve your room early!

Further information

For more information on our organization and this year's festival, visit our website: www.gamountainstoryfest.org. You can also email us at info@gamountainstoryfest.org.