The art of storytelling is as old as the trees and now an exciting summer festival is going to celebrate the ancient link between stories and woodland. Tales From the Tees is a new free regional festival which will allow storytellers to spin their amazing yarns for listeners of all ages. Tales from the Tees - The Tees Forest Storytelling Festival will take place between Saturday 21st and Sunday 29th August at venues across the Tees Valley.

Organised by The Tees Forest, the festival is a partnership of the five Tees Valley local authorities - Darlington, Stockton, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and Hartlepool and the Tees Valley Wildlife Trust. Aimed at celebrating the ancient link between storytelling and the natural world, Tales From the Tees events will be free for everyone. The festival will allow storytellers to tell tales for listeners in a range of open air venues including community woodlands, countryside centres, schools and also at riversides and seaside locations.

Throughout the nine days, storytellers and performers will be entertaining at 18 venues, mixing everything from storytelling and crafts to circus skills, drumming workshops, dance and theatre, to create an exciting blend of fun for all ages. A number of the performers are from the North-East, some from the Tees Valley, and they will join national and internationally recognised storytellers. Among events planned are Malcolm Green and Pat Renton, from Tyneside-based 'Bit Crack', performing in Darlington on the 22nd and Summerhill, Hartlepool, on the 25th, and Drum Jam, an African London-based group will perform at Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park, Billingham, on the 29th. With tales of Pirates at Saltburn on the 24th and Witches at Wynyard, near Sedgefield, on the 26th it promises to be a feast of frivolity and entertainment for everyone. The full list of events is on the attached leaflet.

Event organiser Simon Blenkinsop, from the Tees Forest, said: "This is the first time we have put on an event of this nature. It promises to be great fun for all the family with lots going on to entertain young and old alike from storytelling cafes to drumming and circus skills. It has everything and should not be missed.'' The Tees Forest is one of twelve community forests in England, part of a Countryside Agency initiative to restore much of the nation's lost woodland. Based at Stewart Park, in Middlesbrough, it works with the five borough councils of the Tees Valley.

Leaflets giving more details of the storytelling events are available at public places across the area or by logging onto The Tees Forest website at www.teesforest.org.uk.

The Festival is supported by the Arts Council.

Published: 13/07/2004