Día de los Niños Weekend Features 33 rd annual Rocky Mountain Storytellers Conference in Broomfield

Every red-blooded librarian in the U.S. knows that the last weekend in April is the Day of the Child, el Día de los Niños. This holiday celebrates the health, welfare, and literacy of children and families.

In keeping with the spirit of this holiday, the Rocky Mountain Storytellers' Conference (RMSC) will present its 33 nd annual conferenceon April 25th-26th at the Broomfield Auditorium, 3 Community Park Road, Broomfield, Colorado. This two-day annual event brings together local and national storytellers in the Rocky Mountain region's most prestigious showcase of master storytellers.

This year, the conference promotes the health, welfare, and literacy of children by spotlighting two storytellers who have been instrumental in helping educators and business professionals nationwide incorporate storytelling into the every day world of the community. They will perform a free storytelling showcase Friday April 25th from 7:00-9:00 p.m at the Broomfield Auditorium.

Featured tellers are: Laura Simms, internationally renowned storyteller, writer, teacher, and activist. Her remarkable performances of traditional stories interwoven with personal narrative have earned worldwide recognition and honors since 1968. Laura has created an irresistible style that bridges ancient oral tradition and performance art. She offers diverse material, humor, and range of characterizations. Her warmth and depth of understanding profoundly affect listeners. Kate Lutz speaks the universal language of stories, inviting all to laugh, cry, and wish. Her unique blend of personal, traditional and historical stories magically transforms the audience. Her upbeat style entertains audiences, young and old alike. From the observations of an old west madam to watching an ancient turtle lay eggs under a star-filled sky, Kate's stories are comfort food for the heart.

Former RMSC president Carl Ruby and co- author of the book Holy Mole Guacamole and Other TummyTales said "This is a wonderful event you can bring the whole family to. The art of the story is being lost and we really want to be able to bring home the importance of passing on the magic and wonder of the oral tradition. Story is a bonding experience and is a lovely way to weave together the past with the present and step into the future well prepared for all of life's challenges. We cannot forget those we speak of in story. From ancient times this has been one of humanity's greatest gifts to the world."

The RMSC welcomes all community members to participate in this year's events. Hands-on workshops, storytelling sessions, and in-depth professional skill building programs will be open to the public all during the conference for a small fee of $55 for one day or $90 for both days. On Sat April 26th, Sondra Singer and Linda Jacobson will conduct a special workshop entitled , Be Heard by the "Other" Side - Using Stories to Build Bridges. Often we push people away when we want them to see our point of view. This program will teach the use of personal stories, folktales and myths to illustrate larger issues and help us build bridges between seeming antagonists. This workshop is aimed at social activists, mental health professionals, public service and clergy employees and educators. This special workshop at the Conference may be attended for $20.

The Friday night event is free and open to the public.

For information on the RMSC's fees, programs, and other storytellers involved with the event,visit www.rmstory.org.