Dozens of Bloomingtonians gathered Friday to hear spooky stories in Bryan Park during the annual Festival of Ghost Stories. The event is put on by Bloomington Parks and Recreation and is co-sponsored by the Bloomington Storytellers Guild and the Monroe County Public Library.
This tradition dates back to 1974. For decades, listeners have picnicked in the park to hear hours of storytelling.
Festival coordinator Laura Clavio has been spinning tales for decades. Even though she’s only been storytelling with the guild for five years, she said the event’s legacy is strong.
“It's nice that we can be part of all the fun of the holiday,” Clavio said.
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Clavio performed “ The Whistling Tsonoquas” with Guild coordinator Ginny Richey. The story has Native American roots.
Other stories included Appalachian folk tales “ Tailypo” and “ Wicked Jack,” and even ghost stories from IU’s Old Crescent. Fellow storyteller Dana Duffy said that the diversity of stories is what gives life to the festival.
“I love to hear all these different stories. They're from all over the world,” Duffy said. “They're all different kinds of stories, and I like learning new stories.”
Duffy is a children’s librarian but loves telling stories to a wider audience. Her story choice of the night was “ Skin,” by Ronald Dahl. The beloved children’s writer also was fond of the macabre scene.
Clavio said it’s nice to come back to the park with a large storytelling group.
“We've had some tough years, the last couple of years, either with bad weather or with the pandemic,” Clavio said. “And this is always a fun event and part of, you know, the whole Halloween celebration.”
The recording of this year’s Festival of Ghost Stories can be watched on the Community Access Television Station.
