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Storytelling Festival and Liar’s Competition

October 16 @ 6:00 pm - October 17 @ 4:00 pm
$7 – $17

📖✨ Stories, Spooks & Tall Tales at Hagood Mill! ✨📖

Mark your calendars for October 16–17, 2026, for the 25th Annual Storytelling Festival & Liar’s Competition at Hagood Mill Historic Site!

👻 Friday Night Frights & Ghost Stories kicks off the weekend on Friday, October 16 at 6:30 PM with spine-tingling tales and an unforgettable lineup:

  • Lona Bartlett, MC
  • Tim Lowry
  • Walt Belcher
  • Robin Kitson

Admission: $10 for ages 10+.

🎤 The festival continues Saturday, October 17, with a full day of stories, laughter, folklore, and tall tales! Saturday’s lineup includes:

  • Johnny Thomas Fowler, MC
  • Tim Lowry
  • Andy Offutt Irwin
  • Walt Belcher

🏆 Think you can tell a whopper? The Liar’s Competition has spots for eight competitors to share their best “lies” or tall tales for the chance to be crowned Best Liar!

The winner will receive a $75 grand prize and a guaranteed spot on the storytelling stage at the 2027 event.

Liar’s Competition rules:

  • Each storyteller has up to 8 minutes, with a one-minute grace period. Points are deducted after 8 minutes, and stories exceeding 9 minutes are disqualified.
  • Contestants are judged on structure and flow, character, language, delivery and poise, emotional impact, and pacing and timing.
  • Each category is scored from 1 to 5, with 1 being poor and 5 being excellent.

📧 Want to compete? Email kim@visithagoodmill.org to sign up for the Liar’s Competition.

🪕 Enjoy historic demonstrations, crafts, vendors, food, and fun for the whole family.

Saturday admission: $7 for ages 10+
Friday & Saturday festival admission: $17 for ages 10+
Children 9 and under are free.

🎟️ Get your tickets:
https://visithagoodmill.com/stories

Come make memories, hear a few whoppers, and celebrate 25 years of storytelling at Hagood Mill!

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