Storytelling festival set for May 3, 4

The ninth annual Heartland Storytelling Festival will take place at Homestead National Monument of America Thursday and Friday, May 3-4.

This event is geared toward school-age children and the general public and features stories and storytellers from diverse backgrounds.

This year's featured performers are:

n Ricardo Garcia: A professor of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, he will tell stories of Hispanic settlers and his own ancestors who homesteaded in the Southwest.

n Pippa White: A professional storyteller from Lincoln, Nebraska, she will tell stories about different individuals and groups that came through Ellis Island and about the Orphan Trains.

n Rosie Cutrer: She uses her 23 years' experience as an elementary school teacher to bring stories and songs about pioneers and settlement to life.

All three storytellers will perform at various times on both days. On Friday evening, May 4, the three featured storytellers will present special performances at a public storytelling event. Also that evening, the Endorf family will perform “Excess Baggage,” a play about the Orphan Trains that carried thousands of children to the West between 1854 and 1929. All of these performances are free of charge.

“Storytelling is a traditional art that was enjoyed by homesteaders on the Great Plains for decades,” said Mark Engler, Superintendent of Homestead National Monument of America. “This event is fun, educational, and helps keep this important art form alive and thriving.”

Teachers interest in bringing school groups to participate in the event should call the monument as soon as possible to make reservations. There is no fee to take part, but reservations are required. The monument may be reached at 402-223-3514.