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Latitudes Storytelling Festival
Latitudes Storytelling Festival began in 2006 in Kitchener, Ontario. It was formed to as a way to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Trinity United Church, an historic building in the downtown core.

Founded and created by Lori-Ann Livingston, a writer and former journalist, the inaugural festival was opened by the then lieutenant governor of Ontario, Hon. James Bartleman James Bartleman. The festival featured several stages, workshops, a multimedia project recording the building’s history and outreach, a children’s area and a story area presented by the KW Iranian Association, known as the Persian Project. Performers the first year included an African women’s storytelling circle; Guelph singer-songwriter James Gordon ; a street performance by MT Space ; Susie Minto ; Adwoa Badoe ; Diane Halpin ; Randah Taher of My Arabic Story ; Isabel Cisterna ; Ken O Doyle, and many others.

The second year, the festival was held in Victoria Park in downtown Kitchener, where it has been held ever since on the same weekend as the K-W Multicultural Festival. Latitudes Storytelling Festival is located on Roos Island in the park, sharing the island with Anishnabeg Outreach Centre’s celebration of aboriginal culture, which also falls on the same weekend.

The festival features story stages for adults and children alike, celebrating stories from around the world in an imaginative atmosphere. Stories are told by professionals and amateurs alike, through many forms, such as music, spoken word, art and image, theatre and poetry, and through traditional and community storytelling workshops and performances. It was also an official One Book One Community event in 2009.

Coffeehouse stage

The coffeehouse stage is a comfortable atmosphere for stories told to adult audiences, often featuring music, author readings and spoken word poetry. Selling Fair Trade and organic tea and coffee, the coffeehouse raises money for ROOF (Reaching Our Outdoor Friends), a local agency that offers services for homeless youth.

Past performances: Mike Ford, David Francey, Dan Yashinsky, Rukhsana Khan, House of Doc, Sean O Seasnain, rych mills, Old Chestnuts Folk Club, New Quarterly panel of writers, Mariko Tamaki.

Children’s stage

Lounge around on a big colourful cushion with your kids at our children’s stage, which features fun, interactive storytelling, music and crafts.

Past performances: Sarah Granskou, Florence Juma, Laura Reed, Rukhsana Khan, Brad Woods, Banjo Puppets, Dual Language Story Club.

Other events

Word on the Street : Look for the Latitudes booth on Literacy Lane, or drop by the Multicultural Tent to hear our tellers regale the audience with tales from around the world. WOTS is held at Victoria Park, Kitchener, every year at the end of September.

World Storytelling Day World Storytelling Day: celebrate stories from around the world with us at the Waterloo Region Children’s Museum.

Latitudes also sponsors and runs events throughout the year.

Latitudes Storytelling Festival is a registered charity run by a core of dedicated volunteers. The festival aims to reflect the diversity of the community in which it is located, and seeks to be good stewards in the community and of the environment.

--Storygal (talk) 20:18, 27 January 2010 (UTC)