Here’s my storytelling events for spring: for grownups,  an evening of shadow shows and a new series of storytelling performances in Cambridge from leading storytellers: Sarah Rundle, Dominic Kelly and Hugh Lupton.
For children, stories around the county as part of the Festival of Stories – the third year this wonderful event has been put on by Talking Together in Cambridgeshire.  There are more stories at Milton Road Library: and stories told with live pictures by artist Tonka Uzu.
And over the summer you’ll find me back at the East Anglian Storytelling Festival, and a couple of other festivals too

Tuesday 6^th February at 8.00 pm Taking the Tradition On 
The much-praised podcast interview series with Amy Douglas.
Series 5 ‘Soul Stories’ continues with Marion Leeper and ‘The Kitchen Cat’. Marion will tell her Cinderella variant, ‘The Kitchen Cat’ and we’ll discuss her relationship with this enduring fairytale, what it means to her, how it has grown and developed over time and why Cinderella has such a hold on societies throughout the world!  Please click the link to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83123274784

Sunday 11^th February, 7.00-7.30: Story Exchange: Chasing Shadows
An evening of stories, light and dark.  Time to enjoy the magical shadow shows of puppeteer Laura Ungvary,  hear stories with pictures coming alive before your eyes with illustrator Tonka Uzu, and see Stories in the Dark for grownups with Marion Leeper.  Come to listen, or bring your own story to chase away the last of the winter darkness.
There will be wine and cake!  And this time we guarantee a warm welcome!! Tickets £5 or pay what you can from WegotTickets or on the door.

Telling Tales at the Town & Gown
A new series of storytelling evenings in the centre of Cambridge, featuring three splendid, world class storytellers, second Sunday of the month at 7.00 for 7.30 at the Town and Gown Theatre, Market Passage, Cambridge.  Or come early and have a theatre dinner beforehand.
Sunday 10^th March
 Sarah Rundle: Unlucky Mothers and Naughty Japanese Badgers
Need an antidote to Mother’s day?  Try the riotous ruses of Naughty Japanese Badgers.
Sunday 14^th April
Dominic Kelly: Mara
Monsters, dreams and Swedish forests
Sunday 12^th May
 Hugh Lupton: Psalms from the Horse’s Mouth
The classic lament for the disappearance of the horse from the rural landscape

Meanwhile, for families
Saturday 10^th February: Milton Road family story time, 10.30-11.30am
Come for a FREE Saturday morning hour of fun and interactive storytelling for children under 10 and their families. Stories from around the world, puppets, a snack, and more, with storyteller Marion Leeper and friends.  Drop in to check out the stories any time between 10.30-11.30, or stay for the whole hour.
Story times happen once a month on a Saturday morning: the next ones are on March 9^th, April 13^th and May 11^th.

21-28^th February The Third Talking Together Festival of Stories
My new story, about Aiken Drum, the moon-man whose ideas about rubbish are out of this world, will be making an appearance at these places.
21 February - Chesterton Child & Family Centre
22 February – North Cambridge Child & Family Centre, then Waterbeach Child & Family Centre
23 February – Sawston Library, then Akeman Community Centre in Cambridge
24 March – Busy Fingers Pre-school in Little Downham
26 February – The Fields Child & Family Centre, then Domino Pre-school in Fulbourn.
27 February – Huntingdon Library
28 February – Eaton Socon Child & Family Centre, then Ely Child & Family Centre

www.bit.ly/Festivalofstories

Saturday 17^th February Cambridge Zero Community Day - a day of family interactive activities in the Student Services centre on the New Museum Site, entrance off Benet Street, CB2 3PT

Saturday 23^rd March, 10.00 am, The Canoe Race
A story told with live illustration by the mega-talented Tonka Uzu at Cambridge Festival of Ideas

And then there’s a summer of festivals: as well as the East Anglian Storytelling Festival in May, I’ll be visiting two more festivals at opposite sides of the country this summer:  the Ely Folk Festival 12-14 July and watch this space for more news about the Aber Crankie Fest on 8^th June.