Posted 12:16 pm Thursday, March 17, 2011
Send to Kindle
Storytelling, Best Liar Contest Starts April 1
From Staff Reports
Just in time for April Fools' Day -- a contest is planned to find the biggest, best, audacious liar in Smith County.
The Tyler Public Library is scheduled to hold a two-day "Azalea Tales" storytelling event and liar's contest starting at 7 p.m. April 1 and resuming at 9:30 a.m. the following day.
The event coincides with the opening of the Azalea & Spring Flower Trails. Monday is the deadline to enter.
The Azalea Tales Storytelling festival is set to feature Sheila Starks Phillips, who describes herself as a "native Texan and teller of tales."
Ms. Phillips, a three-time winner of the Houston Liars Contest, is expected to bring hilarious stories and folk tales to East Texas audiences.
She is included on the Traveling Artists Roster of the Texas Commission on the Arts and is a past recipient of the John Henry Faulk Award, presented annually by the Tejas Storytelling Association in Denton.
A special storytelling workshop is planned for 9:30 a.m. to noon April 2, followed by a special "concert" by Ms. Phillips, East Texas Storytellers guild members and area students.
Also, the popular Gillette Brothers, recognized as folk-singing recipients of the 2009 American Cowboy Culture Award, are scheduled to take the stage at 7 p.m. Saturday, followed by a final storytelling showcase at 8 p.m.
Azalea Tales is sponsored by Friends of the Tyler Public Library, the Doc Moore Educational Outreach of Tejas Storytelling Association, Texas Commission on the Arts and East Texas Storytellers.
The library is at 201 S. College Ave. All events are free and open to the public. For information and event registration, visit www.tylerlibrary.com or call 903-593-READ (7323).
