FARMINGTON/WILTON — Two storytelling events will be offered in January, one in Farmington and one in Wilton.

The Western Maine Storytelling Guild will meet from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19, at the University of Maine at Farmington, Olsen Student Center, conference room 123. The guild, which meets the third Thursday of each month, is free and open to public. Telling a story is not required; both tellers and listeners are invited to join. Parking is available in the student center’s High Street parking lot. Enter the building through the back entrance, opposite Roberts Learning Center, go up the stairs and room 123 is to the right.

A storytelling dinner will be held at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20, at Calzolaio Pasta Company, 284 Main St., Wilton, hosted by local storyteller Phyllis Blackstone. The featured storyteller for the evening’s entertainment will be Pat Gardiner, who has been telling stories to children and adults for more than 20 years. She will recite several of Maine author Ruth Moore’s downeast ballad poems at the drop of a hat.

Blackstone’s most recent passion is sharing her original, humorous stories of Harvey and Stella who live in the coastal town of Moose Cove — “Life the way Maine used to be.” She also loves telling at schools and libraries and delights in creating adventure tales with her audience. Pat is the MC at the monthly Side Door Coffee House in Brunswick and currently lives in Lewiston. She can be reached at harveyandstellastories@yahoo.com. Music during the evening will be courtesy of the keyboard stylings of Jackie Ranco.

Future storytelling dinners are scheduled for Feb. 17, March 23 and April 20.

Cost of the dinner is $19.95, which includes a garden salad, Italian entree, crusty Italian bread with oil and spices, a nonalcoholic beverage, Maine state tax and gratuity. To make a reservation, call 645-9500, or go online at calzolaiopasta.com.

Plans are shaping up for the second annual Western Maine Storytelling Festival, to be held in Farmington on July 20 and 21. Featured storytellers Judith Black and Michael Cooper will perform and give storytelling workshops. More details will be posted soon on the website www.wmsfestival.org.

For more information about all of these storytelling events, call either Phyllis Blackstone at 860-6622 or Myrna Vallette at 778-4387, or email info@wmsfestival.org.

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