Posted on Friday, March 06, 2020
The 24th Azalea Storytelling Festival kicks off today in Callaway Auditorium and will continue until noon Sunday.
Joyce Morgan, co-founder of ASF, said she is thrilled with this year’s lineup.
“The committee did a great job of choosing our 2020 storytellers,” she said. “Returning to the Azalea stage are favorites Michael Reno Harrell, Andy Offutt Irwin, Bil Lepp and of course our own Carol Cain as emcee.”
New to the festival this year is Kim Weitkamp.
“She promises to become another favorite,” said Morgan. “I heard her in 2019 and thought, ‘We have to get her to Azalea!’”
The festival has been named as one of the Top 20 Events in the 12 Southeastern states by the Southeast Tourism Society and earned the National Storytelling Association’s Leadership Award. In 2013, the founders of the Azalea Storytelling Festival received the LaGrange Troup County Bureau of Tourism Visionary Award.
The family-friendly event promotes the art of storytelling by bringing nationally recognized artists together for a weekend full of storytelling concerts.
Storytellers Lepp and Harrell came to town early and have been busy this week, spinning yarns at schools, churches and civic clubs. Lepp said the festival is one of his favorite events.
“It’s so beautifully organized (by the ASF committee) and the auditorium is a great space,” he said. “We all look forward to Azalea.”
He also had praise for the audiences.
“People come from all over for this festival,” he said. “And they know how to listen to stories. They are always enthusiastic and gracious.”
This year’s storytellers are:
Michael Reno Harrell is an award-winning songwriter, veteran storyteller and entertainer. His original songs and stories have been described as “Appalachian grit and wit.” He has appeared as a featured teller at the National Storytelling Festival and teller-in-residence at the International Storytelling Center, as well as performing at major music events like MerleFest and the Walnut Valley Festival. Along with his performances, Harrell often conducts workshops in songwriting and storytelling as well. His recordings have received and continue to garner awards in country, Americana and folk circles.
October 2019 marked Andy Offutt Irwin’s 10th year as a featured teller at the National Storytelling Festival. He received the 2013 Circle of Excellence Award from the National Storytelling Network. A native of Covington, Georgia, Irwin began his career in 1984 with an improvisational comedy troupe at Walt Disney World. Since then, he’s been traveling the world, sharing his stories and songs.
Bil Lepp is a native of West Virginia, and is the author of six books and 16 audio collections. A storyteller, author and recording artist, 
Lepp’s works have received awards and recognition from the Parents’ Choice Foundation, the National Parenting Publications Association and the Public Library Association. In 2011, Lepp was awarded the National Storytelling Network’s Circle of Excellence Award.
Kim Weitkamp is a native of Mount Vernon, Ohio. One reviewer wrote, “Kim is a master at seamlessly building bridges from story to song to story. Like all good storytellers, she evokes both laughter and tears, but her impeccable timing and dead-on anticipation of her listeners’ needs place her at the pinnacle of her craft. Then she pulls her guitar out and you think, “Where did that milk-and-honey voice come from?”
Carol Cain ’85, Master of Ceremonies, is a native of Hogansville, Georgia. She has been a member of the Azalea Storytelling Festival planning committee since the festival’s inception in 1997. She has been the emcee of the Azalea Festival for the past 11 years and was a featured teller in 2015.
Morgan said next year will be the 25th anniversary of the festival and plans are already underway to commemorate the occasion.
“On Sunday, we will announce a full year of storytelling events marking our 25th Azalea Storytelling Festival in 2021,’ she said. “Many festivals like ours don’t last this long, and we’ll have a lot to celebrate.”
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit Lafayette Society of Performing Arts or by call 706-882-9909. LaGrange College students are admitted free of charge and will receive credit for each storytelling event they attend.
Be sure and join us today in celebrating the opening of the new beach volleyball courts. Games are at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., and the dedication is at 1 p.m.
The annual West Georgia Choral Arts Festival will be held March 14 on campus. This is a collaborative effort of the Choral Society of West Georgia and the college’s Music program. Dr. Samuel Miller, Director of Choral Activities at LC, will be the guest director, while Andrew Harry, Adjunct Professor of Music, will be the festival accompanist. Choirs participating will include Callaway Middle School, Carroll County Community Choir, Choral Society of West Georgia, LaGrange College Chamber Choir, Long Cane Middle School, Prima Voce/Voices of the Valley Children’s Chorus and Young Singers of West Georgia high school ensemble. The event will culminate with a free concert at 4 p.m. featuring all of the choral groups who participated in the festival.
Don’t forget Service Saturday this weekend from 7:30 a.m. until 10 a.m. Registered student, faculty and staff volunteers should meet in Dickson Assembly Room at 7:30 a.m. Saturday before heading out to help with the city’s “Leaving LaGrange Better Than We Found It” campaign. Register here.
It’s that time again – Daylight Saving Time! Set your clocks forward one hour before going to bed Saturday night. It’s also a good time to check the batteries in your smoke detectors.
Today (Friday)
Saturday
Sunday
Tuesday
Thursday
Men’s Lacrosse
Isaac Fuller scored seven goals and Tareyon Delgado six, to lead the Panthers (2-5) to a 23-2 rout of Johnson & Wales (Denver) on Thursday at Callaway Stadium.
Golf
Sam Rogers led the Panthers to the Callaway Intercollegiate Invitational title Monday at the Callaway Gardens’ Mountain View course. Rogers celebrated his birthday by winning his first collegiate individual championship. Ben Womack joined Rogers on the All-Tournament team.
Baseball
Freshman Dalton Brooks was the USA South Rookie Pitcher of the Week for the week ending March 1. Brooks gave up one run and struck out nine in LC’s 18-1 win over the University of Dallas last Saturday. The Panthers (9-4) completed a sweep of Dallas with a 7-2 victory Sunday. It was the eighth-straight win for the Panthers.
Softball
Freshman Abbey Gardner was the USA South Rookie Pitcher of the Week for the week ending March 1. Gardner picked up a win last Saturday with 5-1/3 innings of scoreless relief in the Panthers’ 11-4 win over Greensboro. The Panthers (3-3) split the doubleheader with the visiting Pride.
Beach volleyball vs. Huntingdon, 9:30 a.m., LC Beach Volleyball Court
Beach volleyball vs. Carson-Newman, 11:30 a.m., LC Beach Volleyball Court
Saturday, March 7
Beach volleyball vs. Reinhardt, noon, LC Beach Volleyball Court
Beach volleyball vs. Huntingdon, 4 p.m., LC Beach Volleyball Court
Softball vs. Judson (doubleheader), 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., LC Softball Complex
Baseball vs. Huntingdon, 3 p.m., Cleaveland Field in Williamson Stadium
Sunday, March 8
Baseball vs. Huntingdon (doubleheader), 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., Cleaveland Field in Williamson Stadium
Tuesday, March 10
Baseball vs. Emory, 7 p.m., Cleaveland Field at Williamson Stadium
Softball at Huntingdon (doubleheader), 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., Montgomery, Alabama
Wednesday, March 11
Men’s Lacrosse vs. Wentworth, 6 p.m., Callaway Stadium
Thursday, March 12
Softball vs. Hiram (doubleheader), 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., LC Softball Complex
The college's Office of Global Engagement has announced its list of Study Away destinations for next year. If you know someone who is considering LaGrange College, contact Admissions for a copy of our Passport brochure.
Panthers win eighth straight – LaGrange Daily News, March 3, 2020
LaGrange College splits doubleheader – LaGrange Daily News, March 3, 2020
Christian music legend joins LaGrange College music faculty – LaGrange Daily News, Feb. 29-March 1
Panthers capture individual, team titles in tournament – LaGrange Daily News, March 6, 2020
Category: College, Arts and Culture, Community, Events
Keywords: storytelling Azalea
