User:Meadowlarktales/sandbox

The Kansas Storytelling Festival began in 1994 and is held every year on the last Friday and Saturday of April. Joyce Koops had the original vision of the festival and was the driving force behind soliciting the help of the Downs Arts Council and a host of local citizens to make the festival a reality. Four years later, Governor Bill Graves officially recognized the city of Downs, Osborne County, as "The Storytelling Capitol of Kansas" and reserved the last last week in April for "The Kansas Storytelling Festival." Over the last 24 year, the festival has grown in stature and reputation as can be seen by the quality of storytellers who have performed at the festival:

Festival One – 1994 Kay Negash Priscilla Howe Bev Nelson

Festival Two – 1995 Pam Faro Priscilla Howe Danny & Becky McMillan Greg Martin Norman Peire

Festival Three – 1996 Nancy Duncan Bill Rexroad Marilyn Black Don Coldsmith

Festival Four – 1997 Royal Eckert Janet Goodenow Sharon Arndt

Festival Five – 1998 Dan Keding Margaret Deaver Richard Kimbrough Jeff O’Donnel

Festival Six – 1999 Maureen Korte Bettie Jane Bibler Richard Kimbrough Angela Bates-Tompkins David Alexander

Festival Seven -2000 John Stansfield Judy Nichols Carol Rehme Phillip Thomas

Festival Eight -2001 Lynn Moroney Rosemary Cutrer Priscilla Howe Omofolobo Ajayi Dick Wellman

Festival Nine – 2002 Pat Mendoza Dennis Gaines Lu Adams Regina Leininger

Festival Ten -2003 Bil Lepp Jo Ho Judy Coder Joe Boley Pippa White

Festival Eleven -2004 Ed Stivender Marla Matkins Elda Martens Judy Nichols Sharon Treaster Ann Zimmerman

Festival Twelve -2005 Jim ‘Two Crows’ Wallen Rachel Thompson J.F. Stover Fred ‘Bo’ Switzer Priscilla Howe

Festival Thirteen -2006 Dan Keding Jo Ho Amah Lou Schreiber Kathryn Thurman Deborah Raney Kim Sawyer Judy Miller

Festival Fourteen – 2007 Willy Claflin Mike Gracy Bonnie Smith Rosie Cutrer Nolan Sump

Festival Fifteen -2008 Bil Lepp Mike ‘Blue Hawk’ Adams Deborah Greenblat Kevin Dolan (Dino O’Dell) Deanne Gist

Festival Sixteen – 2009 Pippa White Ann Zimmerman Teresa Bachman Robert Stelmach (Max Tell)

Festival Seventeen – 2010 Michael Reno Harrell Dianne de Las Casas Vicky Town Angela Bates

Festival Eighteen – 2011 Andy Offutt Irwin Kim Weitkamp Dino O’Dell Nancy Jo Leachman Solomon Valley Players

Festival Nineteen – 2012 Donald Davis Chris Sutton Joyce Slater Aaron Fowler

Festival Twenty -2013 Bill Harley Beth Horner Vicky Town Marla Matkin

Festival Twenty-one – 2014 Kevin Kling Dianne de Las Casas Jim Two Crows Wallen Tom McDermott

Festival Twenty-two – 2015 Kim Weitkamp Sherry Norfolk Adam Booth Linda Batlin

Festival Twenty-three - 2016 Michael Reno Harrell Geraldine Buckley Phil S. Dixon Jo Ho

Festival Twenty-four - 2017 Tim Lowry Linda Gorham Adam Miller Brian "Fox" Ellis