Miami-Dade Public Library System’s Eighth Annual Art Of Storytelling International Festival to feature renowned Storytellers, Storybook Characters, Music and Traditional Dances
MIAMI – The Miami-Dade Public Library System presents the eighth annual Art of Storytelling (AOS) International Festival on Saturday, May 3, from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Main Library, 101 W. Flagler Street, downtown Miami.
This free family event highlights the culture of Colombia and features a diverse line-up of world class storytellers including Jorge Ambrosio Villa Zapata and Jaime Riascos of Colombia, Connie Regan-Blake, Diane Williams and Dylan Pritchett of the U.S., and Daniel Azulay of Brazil. Mother Goose, Pippi Longstocking, and a cast of storybook characters will delight the hearts of little ones while the nine feet tall puppets of the Bit’s ‘N Pieces Puppet Theatre will captivate the entire family with the tale of Cinderella and the Chinese Slipper, an adaptation of a ninth century T’ang Dynasty folk tale.
Musicians, dancers, magicians, stilt-walkers, face-painting, arts and crafts, ethnic foods, and a traditional West Indian carnival parade are all part of this signature event that is designed to promote literacy by presenting stories in a fun and stimulating way.
AOS was developed by the Library System in 2001 to provide free, high quality, educational and cultural information to county residents. This innovative program includes an international library-to-library exchange program; storytelling seminars for educators, librarians and parents, and a storytelling showcase series. Through AOS, the Library System seeks to expand its role as an important community resource by presenting programs that reflect the ethnic and cultural diversity of Miami-Dade County residents.
The international exchange partner for this year’s event is the Park Libraries of Medellin, Colombia. Former exchange countries include Jamaica, Ghana, Ireland, the Caribbean, Brazil, and France.
