Storytelling Festival

Join us for the 2nd annual Storytelling and Literary Festival at the Historic Sam Davis Home in Smyrna on August 22nd , 2026, and we’re looking for some awesome amateurs to wow us. Yes, we’re looking for AMATEURS! We want folks who can tell a story that makes people laugh, think, smile, and ponder the meaning of this old world—all in a kind, thoughtful, family-friendly, and humorous way. This year we’re hosting both adult and youth (12 and under) contests, with two one-hour flights for each. Simply put, we’ll start off with adults telling stories for an hour, then switch to an hour for the kids. Each story should be around seven or eight minutes long. We want to hear your story, whether it’s something that actually happened to you, a tale from a friend, or just a big old whopping lie. If we get enough contestants, we’ll gladly add extra flights of speakers so more people can tell their whoppers!
Is your dad one of those guys who can keep a crowd chuckling and then have them rolling with laughter when he hits the punchline? Is your sister forever going on and on with the craziest stories you’ve ever heard? How about Aunt Gladys regaling everyone with the time a squirrel got loose in the outhouse? Are your grandkids the second coming of Davy Crockett and his tall tales? We’re looking forward to some hilarious stuff, even if you have to stretch the truth a little!
All adult contestants will receive a swag bag, and the top three prizes for each flight are $150, $100, and $50. All youth contestants will receive a $10 gift certificate to spend in the museum gift shop, and the top three of each flight will win $100, $50, and $25.
This will be a fantastic event with a supportive and welcoming crowd, so put your shyness in your back pocket, come out, and join the fun. If you’d like to enter yourself (or someone you know) for consideration, please contact Jenny Lamb at [email protected] for more details. Come win some great prizes and support one of Tennessee’s greatest historical sites. (While we prefer that you contact Jenny Lamb prior to the event, we will accept “day of” entries, though you will need to speak with Mrs. Lamb before the storytelling begins.)
The event kicks off at 10:00 A.M. with the Literary part of the day, featuring fantastic authors speaking and selling books. The storytelling will begin at 11:00 A.M. for adults and noon for youth, followed by the second flight for adults at 1:00 P.M. and youth at 2:00 P.M. We will also have a food truck on-site, alongside literary-themed bakeries and other vendors.
Our featured authors include Kristin O’Donnell Tubb, author of middle-grade books including The Story Collector series and the award-winning Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different. (Kristin will also lead a “sticker storytime” talk for kids!) Chrissie Anderson Peters will be joining us, whose work is featured in two editions of Chicken Soup for the Soul. Jennifer Sienes will be there with books from her Apple Hill series as well as her faith-based novels. We’re also proud to welcome back Katie Shands, a feature writer and author of the award-winning Finding Franklin, alongside several other local authors and our wonderful local library team. Remember, signed books make great gifts!
This will be a family-friendly event, and admission is just $10 for adults and $5 for kids. Feel free to bring a picnic, a blanket, and lawn chairs.
With fantastic authors, entertaining storytellers, and a great crowd to cheer them on, maybe a star will be born! Come see us on August 22nd at the Historic Sam Davis Home.