It’s always satisfying to sit down and read a good book or hear an engrossing story via podcast. But it’s also special to see and hear those stories come to life from the mouths of the people who wrote them.
Toward that end, the sixth annual Women’s Storytelling Festival is slated for this Thursday through Sunday, March 20-23. It kicks off March 20, at 8 p.m., with a virtual showcase, followed by in-person performances, March 21-23, at the Sherwood Community Center, 3740 Blenheim Blvd. in Fairfax City. The entire festival will also be live streamed online.
Showcasing a wide range of storytelling styles, the festival spotlights 19 storytellers who’ll perform spoken-word stories. They’ll share personal stories and folk tales, as well as tales of adventure and magic. This event is intended for mature audiences; and all ticket holders – whether in-person or virtual – will be able to watch the festival videos for one month after the event concludes.
Hosting the event is the nonprofit Better Said Than Done. Fairfax’s Jessica Robinson, Women’s Storytelling Festival producer, founded it in 2011 to bring the art of storytelling to Northern Virginia. And she’s proud of and excited about this year’s festival.
“The stories go deep, the performances are amazing and the audience is rapt,” she explained. “The WSF is truly one of the best festivals of any performance-art I’ve ever seen. It features many of the best storytellers in the country and gives them a space to let loose and tell stories they might not share on other stages.”
“You might think, ‘I'll only go for one showcase,’” continued Robinson. “But once you start to watch, you’re not going to want to miss a second of the rest of the weekend. Plan to come and stay – you won't regret it.”
Virtual tickets for the entire event are $45, and in-person tickets, $70. In addition, one-day, in-person passes will be available at the door for $35. For schedules and further information, to learn more about the 2025 storytellers, and to purchase tickets, go to https://bettersaidthandone.org/womens-festival./
The storytellers span a wide range of experience, with relative newcomers telling alongside veterans of more than two decades. Among the festival performers are authors, poets, podcasters, teaching artists and contributors to various storytelling shows and festivals across the country, including the National Storytelling Festival.
And they’re coming here from across the nation – from Alaska to Colorado, Minnesota to Virginia. “A festival is a celebration, so dedicating a weekend to celebrate the voices and stories of women shows their perspectives are valued,” said storyteller Jennifer Hillery of Massachusetts.
This year’s in-person storytellers are: Laura Deal, Swapna Deshpande, Linda Gorham, Jennifer Hillery, Tobey Ishii Anderson, Andrea Kamens, Amanda Lawrence, Carol Moore, Miriam Nadel, Ingrid Nixon, Laura Packer, Jessica Robinson, Aimee Snow, and Sarah Snyder.
Karin Amano, Sarah Brady, Sarah Beth Nelson, Shani Womack and Janel Woodland will perform virtually only; but everyone who buys a ticket will be able to see and hear their stories.
Besides Robinson, three local women will be among the storytellers. They are Miriam Nadel of Vienna, plus Carol Moore and Sarah Snyder of Herndon.
Storyteller Miriam Nadel (Vienna, VA) goes on to say,
“[This festival] is more interactive than most forms of entertainment you can experience,” said Nadel. “Everyone in the audience ends up nodding their heads in understanding and agreement. It always impresses me what a variety of experiences women have had. We may come from different places and cultures, but our experiences can bring us together across the generations.”
Moore, a returning storyteller, said the festival “feels like an escape into an entirely different world for days. Somehow, you’re constantly comforted by camaraderie but also guaranteed to hear, learn or experience something new. There’s laughter and joy, discovery and wonder, empathy and healing. Honestly, it’s one of the best emotional vacations you could take.”
Snyder described it as “like hanging out in the living room of someone’s house, whom you may or may not know. But one thing you [learn] is that everyone is welcome, and you get to meet and befriend so many amazing women.”
Furthermore, she said, “Women aren't afraid of getting raw and personal. We aren’t afraid of being vulnerable, once we’re together and realize this is a safe place to be who you are. Having attended just about every WSF so far, I feel totally comfortable letting loose, going deep and trusting that the listeners will hold me and honor me.”
Agreeing, storyteller Aimee Snow of Manassas, added, “So many women from different backgrounds and ages in one place makes for an amazing experience.”
And storyteller Amanda Lawrence stressed that “Now, more than ever, the world needs to hear women’s stories.”
“Women’s voices matter, our lived experiences are real – and yet, those voices and experiences are often dismissed,” explained storyteller Laura Packer. “This festival gives women a chance to share their personal stories, their interpretations of traditional material, and to be heard without apology or fight.”
As for Robinson, she’s also pleased that, “For the many people across the country who cannot make it, for one reason or another, to the in-person event in Fairfax, we continue to offer a livestream and the recordings, for one month afterward. And we welcome people of all gender identities to attend.”
Overall, said Packer, “The festival will exceed your expectations. Each story is powerful, and the stories heard together become a celebration and exploration of what it is to be human. Be prepared to feel feelings, to laugh and to connect powerfully with everyone there.”
To learn more about the festival’s storytellers, go to
https://bettersaidthandone.org/womens-festival/2025-festival-storytellers/