The 39th ANNUAL
SIERRA STORYTELLING FESTIVAL
June 26 & 27, 2026
In a time of six-lane freeways, high-speed internet and split-second decisions, the Sierra Storytelling Festival steps out of a busy schedule to take a breath and celebrate in a style reminiscent of our ancestors’ gathering around a fire. A group of dedicated volunteers provides a festival to hear stories, to build culture, to review traditions.
Stories not only entertain us but they reach inside to our humanity and bind us together, open our minds and help us imagine a better future.
For 39 years the Sierra Storytelling Festival has invited a diverse group of Tellers at the top of their game, from the far reaches of the world, to gather together for one magical weekend of tales, lessons and anecdotes.
Please join us on Friday and Saturday, June 26th and 27th, 2026 at the North Columbia Schoolhouse Cultural Center’s outdoor stage to set down your worries and rejoice in this ancient tradition.
This year’s festival features Kevin Kling, Michael D. McCarty, Kim Weitkamp, Amy Bluemel, and Yasu Ishida, along with guest teller, Roopa Mohan.
Our Master of Ceremonies will be Tim Erenta. For more than 25 years, Tim has been shepherding giants, dragons, and talking frogs into contemporary times through his storytelling. He has told fairy tales on stages from Jonesborough, Tennessee, to Chennai, India, performing in theaters, museums, camps, churches, nightclubs, and Zoom rooms. Tim lives in Berkeley, California, where he helps in producing Tell It On Tuesday, a monthly series of solo theatre and storytelling, now in its 21st year.
The lineup for this year includes tellers from all over the country, creating a multicultural event, shining light into many new crevices of the human experience. For full bios of our guests, please see our Tellers page.
As always, there will be food and drink available for purchase and you are more than welcome to bring your own picnic. Although there are nearby accommodations, no camping is allowed on the Schoolhouse grounds. We also respectfully insist that you leave your pets at home.
The San Juan Ridge Tapestry Project will be on display for the weekend, a spectacular community endeavor that consists of 12 hand-stitched panels illustrating the life and culture of the San Juan Ridge. A newly released book on the creation and process of the Tapestry Project will be available at the merchandise booth.
Early bird tickets on sale March 1 – May 31 2026, or regular priced tickets, on sale June 1- 24, 2026 can be purchased HERE!
Please join us to hear the stories of these masters. See our Teller page for their bios and links to their websites.
Tickets go on sale March 1st.
see you soon!
We would love to hear from you!
To hear the latest- join our mailing list here!
To volunteer up to sell drinks, raffle tickets or books at next years festival-click here!
To become a sponsor, at any level- let us know here!
“Sierra Storytelling Festival is a dream for any storyteller/performer. Performing on stage under a ceiling of tree canopies, crisp sails, and blue skies; a warm and welcoming audience; delicious food and craft beer. Add to that a wide blend of stories and music and seriously, why would you do anything or go anywhere else that weekend?”- Kim Weitkamp
