Storytelling by Firelight Returns to the Southern Indiana Woods

Written from press release

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Five bonfires, five storytellers and one autumn night in the woods will set the stage for the return of Tale Blazing, a seasonal arts event combining performance and community.

The event, subtitled MIRACULUM, will take place Saturday, Oct. 11, from 7 to 10 p.m. at The Hundredth Hill Artist Retreat, north of Bloomington. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students.

Now in its second year following a sold-out debut, Tale Blazing invites participants to move from fire to fire, listening to storytellers share personal experiences and creative works inspired by marvels, miracles and the turning points of life. Each fire is tended by trained firekeepers and lit from a central flame, creating what organizers call a unique atmosphere for one of humanity’s oldest traditions.

“The forest, the crackling flames, the rich stillness really change the way we listen and change the way we receive a story,” said Tristra Newyear, writer, artist and cofounder of the Bloomington-based arts group MDWST Fable, which helped launch the event.

Matt Rice, a film documentarian and fellow cofounder, said the program encourages participants to reflect on extraordinary moments in their own lives. “Everyone has encountered the wonderful, the strange, and likely the miraculous,” he said. “We want to set fire to the night and hear those stories.”

The event is presented by MDWST Fable in partnership with Soulcraft Bloomington, Indiana’s first forest and folk school, and The Hundredth Hill, a retreat that hosts residencies, workshops and creative gatherings.

More information is available at mdwstfable.com

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