Find storytelling events through The Moth’s event calendar, the National Storytelling Network, local libraries and storytelling guilds, and dedicated venues such as the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough, Tennessee. Start by deciding whether you want to listen, tell a story yourself, or learn in a workshop. Those choices lead to very different evenings, even when listings all use the word storytelling.
You do not need a dramatic life story to enjoy a live performance. A good audience is part of what makes the experience work. If you are considering performing, attending once as a listener can help you understand the format, tone and expectations before putting your name forward.
Start with reliable event directories
The Moth’s upcoming-events calendar is a useful starting point for live personal storytelling. Open the individual listing to check its city, venue and format rather than relying on a search result’s date. Its event overview explains different show types, including open-mic StorySLAM competitions. A curated performance and a participatory slam are not interchangeable.
The National Storytelling Network’s community calendar includes events from around the world. It is useful when your nearest city has few obvious listings or when you want to explore different storytelling traditions. The calendar explicitly uses Central Time, although an event’s description may also show local time. Confirm the organizer’s own date, time zone and registration page before making plans.
For a destination built around live storytelling, look at the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough. Its visitor information identifies its location at 100 W. Main Street. The Storytelling Live! series offers seasonal performances spanning different artists and styles. Its regular season runs May through October, with other special programs described separately. A general description of the season is not proof of a performance on the day you plan to visit; use the current schedule before booking travel.
Search locally beyond the word storytelling
Check your library’s adult-events calendar as well as its children’s calendar. Search for oral storytelling, personal stories, story circle, folktales, spoken word and story slam alongside your town’s name. A library storytime for toddlers, an author reading and an adult storytelling evening can appear in the same results, so read the audience description.
Local arts centers, independent bookstores, community theaters and cultural organizations are other places to investigate. Look for the actual host’s page, not just a copied event listing. A recurring series may move rooms, change venues or take a seasonal break while older announcements remain online. If a page has no year or no future date, treat it as a lead to verify.
Choose the experience you actually want
A storytelling concert usually features a planned lineup of tellers. It can be a comfortable first choice if you want to listen without preparing anything. A story circle may invite participants to share in a smaller setting; ask whether you may pass your turn. A workshop focuses on practice and feedback, which can make it useful for developing a story but different from a night of entertainment.
A slam adds a competitive format and participation rules. A spoken-word open mic may accept poetry, prose or other material, whereas a storytelling event may require a true personal narrative or a particular theme. Do not assume a sign-up sheet means every kind of performance is welcome. Read the guidelines before preparing a piece.
Can you attend without telling a story?
At The Moth, yes: its official FAQ says participation in a StorySLAM is voluntary. You can attend simply to listen. For another organizer’s event, look for wording such as audience welcome or ask whether listeners need a separate reservation. Buying admission does not automatically commit you to performing.
If a small circle or workshop expects everyone to contribute, establish that before joining. A useful question is: “I would like to listen on my first visit. Is that appropriate for this session?” This makes the distinction clear without asking the host to guess what level of participation you want.
If you want to tell a story, check selection rules
The Moth’s participation guide describes preparing an on-theme story, putting your name into the selection process and performing if chosen. It specifies a five-minute maximum. Having a ticket and a prepared story does not guarantee a turn. Follow the individual event’s instructions, including any sign-up or release requirements.
For other events, ask whether tellers apply in advance, sign up at the door, or are chosen by the host. Check whether notes are allowed, whether the story must be true, and whether material must fit a theme. Learn the time limit before practicing so you do not have to cut the ending while standing at the microphone.
Choose a manageable incident with a clear change: what you wanted, what got in the way, and what happened next. For example, a story about missing a train can focus on the decision you made afterward rather than recount every stop of a vacation. Practice aloud; an outline that looks short on paper can take much longer to tell. Keep private details about other people out unless you have considered whether they belong in a public performance.
Check seating, access and the full cost
Read the difference between admission and a reserved seat. The Moth’s FAQ warns that StorySLAM seating is not guaranteed and describes accessibility assistance. If standing is difficult, contact the organizer before buying and ask about an appropriate seat. Do not assume that arriving early alone resolves an access need.
For any venue, confirm the entrance, restrooms, seating arrangement, sound amplification and the route from parking or transit. Ask about captioning or interpretation early enough for the organizer to respond. A historic building’s attractive photographs do not establish that its particular performance room is accessible.
Check the ticket’s final checkout total, refund terms and any venue purchase requirement. Confirm age restrictions separately from the story theme: a family-friendly subject does not necessarily mean a venue admits children. If bringing a child, look for a clearly advertised children’s or family program and read its age guidance.
Avoid common booking mistakes
A sold-out page is not an invitation to trust an unknown resale account. Check the organizer’s stated waitlist or door-ticket policy, and understand that a possibility is not a guarantee. If traveling far, select a confirmed alternative instead of planning the whole trip around uncertain admission.
For an online program, distinguish a live interactive gathering from a recorded performance with a viewing window. Confirm whether a ticket covers one session or a series, when access expires, and whether viewers need a particular platform. Put the event in your own time zone and keep the organizer’s confirmation handy.
Make the most of your first evening
Arrive according to the venue’s instructions, silence your phone and follow its photography and recording policy. Listen through quieter moments instead of treating every pause as the end. If an event encourages discussion afterward, respond to what the teller shared rather than pressing for personal details they chose to leave out.
If the appeal is creating scenes with other people rather than telling a prepared personal narrative, compare our guide to finding improv classes. For storytelling itself, begin with a clearly described event, verify the current listing, and choose a level of participation that lets you enjoy the experience.
Official program pages checked November 10, 2026. Confirm current dates, ticket availability, access arrangements and participation rules with the event organizer.
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