That’s another story

If you were ever skeptical of the epigram “It's not what you say, but how you say it,” here's an event that may just prove it's true: the Sierra Storytelling Festival. The festival, held at the North Columbia Schoolhouse Cultural Center (17894 Tyler Foote Road in Nevada City) on Friday through Sunday, features a diverse lineup of guest storytellers, a workshop, a story slam and concerts.

Here's what you need to know about the guest storytellers: Baba Jamal Koram blends stories with music, audience participation and humor; Laura Simms is a Shambhala Buddhist meditation teacher; Andy Offutt Irwin specializes in sound effects; Tim Tingle tells family Choctaw stories; Charlie Chin is a master of the “Teahouse Style” of classical Chinese storytelling; and Caroline Paul is known to tell tales of her adventures as a firefighter.

If you want your own chance to turn a phrase and you're 18 or older, participate in a story slam on Friday at 10 p.m., or an open telling at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday. If you'd like to learn how to be a better wordsmith, learn from Simms at 1 p.m. on Friday. Various concerts happen throughout the festival. Head out to the tree-lined foothills, imagine you're at a campfire, and let a good story capture your imagination.

Tickets cost $9.25 to $33 per day, and all-festival passes are $74.25 to $90. For a full schedule and more information, visit http://sierrastorytellingfestival.org.