Haint Stories at the Cumberland Falls Storytelling Festival

HAINT WALK is scheduled for April 11 along the Falls! 

The Haint Stories around the Campfire is April 12!

What is a Haint? That's another name for the ol' boogety man, spooks and such!

For a mere $5 you can have the wits scared out of you as you go from station to station and hear our storytellers share scary stories!

This is in addition to the ticket cost for the whole weekend (only $35 for the whole weekend. One day tickets and family rates are also available. Call for information).

Tickets for the HAINT WALK Friday night and HAINT TALES around the Campfire Saturday night are limited in number. 

Reserve tickets early by calling (606) 528-4121.

Festival Flyer

Press Release

Department of Parks
Cumberland Falls State Resort Park to Host Storytelling Festival April 11-13

Press Release Date:	Thursday, February 27, 2014
Contact Information:	Bret Smitley, 606-528-4121

CORBIN, Ky. – The Cumberland Falls Storytelling Festival is set for April 11-13 at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park near Corbin.

The Cumberland Falls Storytelling Festival promises to be a weekend of both traditional and unique entertainment for adults, plus a school-day session for local schoolchildren.

Four nationally known storytellers will share the stage as featured storytellers:

Sharon Kirk Clifton is a professional storyteller who is also passionate about writing, especially for children. Her debut novel, “Up A Rutted Road,” was released in May 2013. She tells old time “Jack tales” in the person of Jack’s Mama and is beloved by audiences everywhere. She also writes poetry, essays, and whatever strikes her fancy.

Buck P. Creacy is a humorist and storyteller who uses humor to make life better for his audience. It was while shining shoes at the barber shop he realized he could shine more shoes if his customers were laughing.  An “honest-to-God” humorist, Buck shares both wit and wisdom with children and the international corporate world alike.

Pam Holcomb taught high school arts and humanities, speech, oral communications, drama, and mathematics for 29 years in Harlan County, Ky. A true Appalachian storyteller, it is her desire to preserve the Appalachian culture that drew her to the performing arts and developed her love of storytelling.

Stephen Hollen has been telling stories for over 35 years.  He is an Appalachian storyteller, Mark Twain impersonator and full-time storytelling professional.  His first experiences as a storyteller were sitting on a front porch in Clay County, Ky., listing to uncles, aunts, friends and family tell folk tales, Jack tales and all sorts of bone-chilling stories. Through the years Stephen has told stories in 28 states and Canada.

Visitors can tour the falls, hike the trails and visit with vendors all weekend. Vendors will be demonstrating and selling traditional and Kentucky-made crafts all around the park’s DuPont Lodge.

Schedule of Events:

Friday: School Day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for local schools and students from third through sixth grades with storytelling, hiking and a tour of Cumberland Falls. Vendors will be demonstrating all day. An evening storytelling concert will begin at 7 p.m.  At 9:30 p.m. there will be a “Ghost Walk” with scary stories along the Falls for the brave of heart.

Saturday: Hiking the trails and tours of the Falls all day. Storytelling Matinee at 1 p.m. and a storytelling concert at 7 p.m. The evening will end with “Haint Tales and Scary Campfire Stories” around a campfire.

Sunday: The day will begin with a free, public “Sacred Stories” concert at the Falls at 10 a.m.  The day will continue with tours of the Falls, hiking and the final storytelling matinee at 1 p.m.

The cost of this event is $35 per person for the entire weekend. The Haint Walk and Camp Fire Stories are $5 extra.  School, group and family rates are available.  For more information contact Bret Smitley at the Cumberland Falls State Resort Park at 606-528-4121.

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The Kentucky State Park System is composed of 49 state parks plus an interstate park shared with Virginia. The Department of Parks, an agency of the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, operates 17 resort parks with lodges -- more than any other state. For more information on Kentucky parks, visit our website at http://www.parks.ky.gov

Buy Your Tickets Now!

Just a reminder; when you call to make your reservations, be sure to buy your ticket for the Cumberland Falls Storytelling Festival which is only $35 for the whole weekend. 

The Haint Walk and Haint Tales around the Campfire on Friday and Saturday night are $5 each. The Sacred Stories Sunday morning is free and open to the public. 

To reserve your tickets call (606) 528-4121. Lodging reservations can be made at the same time!

Campground Reservations

 Click on the link to make reservations at the campground!

Campground Reservations

About Don "Buck P" Creacy

"I am a weaver of words since 14 years old, telling stories at Slim's Barbershop, while I shined shoes and made folks laugh."

Buck P. Creacy is a humorist and a storyteller and he uses humor to make life better for his audience. It was while shining shoes at the barber shop, he realized he could shine more shoes if his customers were laughing.

"I love the connection I enjoy with my audience and their own imaginations."
An “honest to God” humorist, Buck shares both wit and wisdom with children and the international corporate world alike.

"I love drawing their faces and hearts into the story, my world; our world's oldest art."
Choosing to make his humor “safe” for any audience, Buck sees the world just differently enough to make you laugh out loud. He also realized that by making life better for others; he could make life better for himself. His humor is never mean-spirited though his sense of the funny stuff in our world is very sharp.

About Sharon Kirk Clifton

Some folks says ye can almost hear the screen door creak and taste the ice-cold apple cider when ye listen to a mountain tale told by Jack's Mama. Jest a plain ol' pioneer woman, Jack's Mama has been a favorite of audiences fer near a quarter of a century. Young'uns 'n' old folks alike says don't nobody tell a tale from America's eastern highlands better. Hit'd pleasure her t' hitch up th' mule, pack up a tow-sack full o' tales 'n' magic beans, 'n' head over yer way. Got special doin's a-goin' on in yer neck o' the woods? Folks gatherin' in from all over t' have a good time? Give Jack's Mama a holler.

More about the Stories Jack's Mama Tells

When this country's first settlers came, many arrived with few possessions. The stories that had been such an integral part of their heritage, however, did survive the perils of sea and land, stored securely in the memories of the people.

Most of the stories that make up Appalachia's oral tradition came from England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Germany, France, and Africa. Once in this country, many of the tales - as well as the people - mingled with the Native Americans who already were here, and had their own stock of stories. The Jack Tales constitute an important cycle in this tradition.

Many of the motifs found in the Appalachian stories are found in literary works such as Beowulf, the Arthurian Legend, Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, Shakespeare's works (including King Lear and The Taming of the Shrew), the Bible, and Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, to name a few.

Despite the origin of the tales, the characters usually became Americanized as they were passed down in this country. For example, Jack, the Appalachian giant-killer, is likable and easy-going (except when it comes to giants), unlike his English counterpart, who is a cocksure, arrogant young hero.

This program was funded in part by a Lilly Teacher Creativity Fellowship grant.

With nearly 60 tales from which to draw, Jack's Mama is adaptable to all audiences and ages, as well as a variety of venues, including festivals, schools, libraries, museums, and churches. All of Clifton's shows are family-friendly.

About Stephen Hollen

Stephen Hollen has been telling stories for nearly 35 years.  He is a full time Storytelling Professional.  His first experiences as a storyteller were sitting on a front porch in Appalachia, listing to Uncles, Aunts, friends and family tell folk tales, Jack tales and all sorts of bone chilling stories!

Through the years Stephen has told stories in 26 states and Canada (so far). 

One of the achievements Stephen is proudest of is the Heritage Award presented to him in 2005 at the Appalachian Festival in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was chosen "Man of the Year" in 2007 and was elected to Who's Who in America in 2000, 2001 and 2003. His poetry - known by him as "ragged verse" has been selected to appear on a number of websites and his poem remembering 9/11 traveled around the world and appeared in German and Russian websites!

Stephen's storytelling blog - http://www.mountainstories.net enjoys huge popularity and has a large following of readers. Thousands of readers stop monthly to read the humorous stories, bittersweet memories and wonderful word pictures written by this talented author and poet.
Perhaps you were introduced to Stephen Hollen at a festival, school or community event as he told stories, shared inspirational stories or shared his warm humor. Wherever you crossed his path, there is no doubt that he is a cheerleader. As he stands on a platform he makes you smile, makes you think, encourages you to come up higher.

When he talks about his "hometown of Beloved, Kentucky", characters like his Cousin Peanut, Uncle Billy Gilbert or Birdie Sue Poovey, you will grin with recognition because you have kin just like them. As he reads his ragged verse, his warm bass voice slowly weaves a picture of lightening bugs dancin' at dusk, of mist creepin' down a mountain like molasses on a cold plate... and you find yourself entranced, smiling at the memories he weaves around his audience.

Stephen Hollen is an unsung ambassador for Eastern Kentucky. You can see it in the twinkle of his eye, hear it in the richness of his voice as he asks you to come along and go with him back home... to the hills.

About Pam Holcomb

Pam Holcomb is a veteran when it comes to working with young people, having taught high school Arts and Humanities, Speech, Oral Communications, Drama, and Mathematics for 29 years. It is her desire for the preservation of the Appalachian culture that drew her to the performing arts, and developed her love of storytelling.

Storytelling inspires the imagination, heals the soul and challenges our beliefs. Storytelling can be an interesting pathway to discover how we came to be who we are as people, as families, and as sub-cultures within the larger society. Collecting remembrances from elders in the family helps to preserve family history in storytelling style. Each story is a thread in a huge tapestry that binds a family together. The memorable stories of our lives and of others in our family take on special importance because they are true, even if everyone tells different versions of the same event. These tales are heirlooms held in the heart not the hand. They are a gift to each generation that preserves them by remembering them and passing them on.

Pam Holcomb is just such a storyteller. She has entertained audiences of all ages with her fascinating tales. Pam specializes in mountain folklore, including family stories, Grandfather Tales, and stories collected from the adventures of interesting people she has met. With her dramatic flare, she brings to life stories from all facets of life. She can easily adapt her stories to any age, group, or occasion.

Accomplishments:

• Bachelor of Arts in Dramatic Literature from Lincoln Memorial University
• Master of Arts in Secondary Education from Union College
• Rank I in Secondary Supervision from Union College
• Taught high school for 29+ years
• Directed over 60+ full length dramatic productions
• Participated in all areas of dramatic performances including acting, directing, speaking choirs, singing choirs, and storytelling
• Worked with various church and civic organizations to achieve a production
• Member of the Kentucky Association of Storytellers and National Storytelling Network
• Showcase Artist for the KY Center for the Arts
• Kentucky Arts Council Education Roster Artist
• A Kentucky Arts Council Performing Arts Directory Artist
• Listed on the Kentucky State Parks Performing Artist Directory
• Featured teller for several festivals including Poke Sallet, Swappin Meeting, Festival of the Mt. Masters, and Ohio River Valley Folk Fest.
• Recording artist of two storytelling cds, entitled This Side of Kingdom Come and Kingdom Come and Back Again
• National Storytelling Network Kentucky State Showcase Artist 2008

Lodging Reservations

According to someone who called today, the DuPont Lodge is getting quite a few reservations!  

If you are going to stay at the Lodge or in the Cabins, we suggest you call (606) 528-4121 or reserve online. 

The Campgrounds will open the end of March. Reservations for the campgrounds must be made online by going to the Cumberland Falls State Resort Park website: http://parks.ky.gov/parks/resortparks/cumberland-falls/reservations.aspx