THE OLD NORTH STATE STORYTELLING FESTIVAL

@ THE CARY THEATER 

122 East Chatham Street, Cary, NC 

Friday and Saturday 

November 6 - 7, 2026

  • Join us for our two-day Festival to experience the power of live storytelling.

  • Acclaimed storytellers will present hours of stories and music to entertain and warm your heart.

  • Four Showcase performances over Friday and Saturday

  • ALL tellers perform DIFFERENT stories for EACH Showcase

  • All performances are family-friendly

  • Presented by The Town of Cary and the North Carolina Storytelling Guild

Thank You, Cary!

The 8th Annual Old North State Storytelling Festival is in the books, and what a weekend it was. Over four showcases at The Cary Theater, you laughed, you cried, and, judging by the conversations in the lobby, you were inspired.

Our deepest thanks to our tellers, Charlotte Blake Alston, Rev. Robert B. Jones, Sr., Mo Reynolds, and Andy Russell, and to our emcee, Naomi Faw, who held it all together. Every one of them brought new stories to every showcase, and it showed.

This festival would not be possible without the support of the Cary Art Daze Grant, funded by the Town of Cary’s Spring Daze and Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festivals, and the Town of Cary Cultural Arts Program. Thank you for investing in live storytelling in Cary, and for helping us keep tickets affordable, including our $7 Sensory-Friendly Showcase.

Thank you also to the staff of The Cary Theater, to the Guild volunteers who hosted our tellers and greeted guests, to every one of you who filled the seats, and to our generous sponsors: Altius Wealth, Arcane Bookstore & Bar, Bynum Mill Town Yarns, Crosstown Pub, Di Fara Pizza, Geluna Gelato, Goat Lady Dairy, Jim and Sylvia Payne, Larry Pearlman, Merry Berry Confections, Modern Service, Nancy Reeder, Pharmacy Bottle & Beverage, Roadhouse Storytellers, Scott Korbin Realtor, Sounds of the Mountains, and TownBank.

Planning for the 9th annual festival begins next month. [Sign up for our email list] to be the first to know when tickets go on sale.

With gratitude,
The North Carolina Storytelling Guild

Featuring

Mo Reynolds

Rev. Robert B Jones

Charlotte Blake-Alston

Andy Russell

Naomi Faw, Emcee

Here's what featured storyteller Tim Lowry said about the 2025 Old North State Storytelling Festival:

"The NCSG once again set a high standard for organizational excellence. The attention to detail and professionalism is much appreciated and helps to elevate our art form in the minds of presenters, granting agencies, and the ticket-buying public. It’s fine to have a one-off success, but the NCSG has shown deep commitment over several decades with one triumph leading to another, and that ain’t nothing to sneeze at!"

Watch this video trailer for our 2026 Festival!

“Storytelling is magic. It transforms life into legend, and strangers into kindred spirits.”