The Guelph Guild of Storytellers (GGS) has restarted its traditional monthly storytelling event, Tales From the Hill, (first Wed each month), still on its virtual Zoom platform until COVID-19 restrictions are less restrictive and we can return to the Civic Museum, our regular venue. and then? - - - Who knows? Perhaps a hybrid. So good to enjoy out-of-town guest tellers.

Click here to see the monthly schedule, themes, and invitation to volunteer.
Next event: NOVEMBER 3, 2021.

Meeting ID: 599 831 8888 ~ One tap mobile or dial: 16468769923

Storytelling is a dynamic active interplay between the story, the teller, and listeners, so virtual storytelling via Zoom is definitely second-best. However, one positive by-product of the virtual world is that geography is no barrier.

We would be delighted to see you as a listener, or hear you at the open mic, as time allows. Stories should be no more than ten minutes and may include any type of telling, but not reading. So if you have a ballad, a poem, a personal story, or folk/fairytale, come share it via Zoom. You can e-mail here to discuss a telling or arrive early (log on 6:30 EST) and let us know.

The telling begins at 7:00 EST until 8:30. The Zoom room opens at 6:30 EST and will stay open after the program for casual socializing, just as we enjoyed at the Civic Museum, (but without the hot cider and cheese-crackers-grapes and sweets. sigh!).

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Great season of VirtualiTEA N Tales 2021

Guelph Enabling Garden and Guelph Guild of Storytellers were thrilled to present VirtualiTea ‘n’ Tales 2021. Many joined us from far and wide- - online this past summer to hear favourite tellers share their tales.
ZOOM LINK was every Friday morning at 10:30 EDT

Click here and scroll down to see the ten-week schedule of tellers. for VirtualiTEA 'n' Tales 2021

So many accolades about VirtualiTEA and Tales:

Thank you for a great season. Looking forward to the longer season next year.
^{~ Karen. September 3, 2021}

Incredible stories all season long. Thank you so much!! I have loved every story and every moment.
^{~ Keri. September 3, 2021}

Wonderful Brian. A huge thank you to Trevor and the wonderful partnership. Thank you Teghan. What a great team. And to you wonderful listeners and tellers!!~
^{~ Sya. September 3, 2021}
Wonderful stories Sya. Your telling transported me to another place of listening. Thank you from Ottawa.
^{~ Joan. September 3, 2021}As always your tales were spellbinding. Thank you Sya.
^{~ Anna. September 3, 2021}

Such a heartwarming story, Brian. Many pieces I relate to personally, like fresh cheese, a ride on the back of a dirt bike. Many thanks. Bittersweet ending and all, truly special.
^{~ Stephanie. (September 3, 2021}

Thank you so much for your stories today Sya and Brian. And thank you to everyone for a summer full of wonderful tales. I’ve so enjoyed my Friday mornings here!
^{~ Annemarie. September 3, 2021}

What marvelous tales, June. Evocative and emotional. Thank you ever so much.
^{~ Stephanie. August 27, 2021}
[June] "What a beautiful story. I love the way that you tied it to your own experience."
^{~ Lynn. August 27, 2021}
June, every one of your stories was wonderful - I especially liked your reminiscence of your mother, and the handfish punch line made me laugh out loud!
^{~ Betty. August 27, 2021}

Ahhh...lovely memory. Now, what happened to the black coat with the mink collar? 🙂
^{~ Brenda. (August 27, 2021}
[Don} "Powerful tension between the excitement of seeing the puffins and the looming danger of the cliffs.
^{~ Lynn. August. August 27, 2021}Thank you, Brian, Teghan, June, Don, everyone involved with the making of this incredible event. I look forward to it all week.
^{~ Stephanie. August 27, 2021}

I am grateful for the online presence of this event, I am only able to attend because it is virtual. Thank you ever so much for all the hard work you^{put into it.
~ Stephanie. August 27, 2021}

Wonderful stories, such good telling. Fabulous.
Listening from Ottawa.
^{~ Joan. August 20, 2021}

Such great storytelling. Loved the poems. Thank you, Jay!
^{~ Louise. August 13, 2021}

Anna, I was glued to the screen during your tellings. What incredible stories.
^{~ Sheri. August 13, 2021}

A wonderful program today from both tellers and our host Brian. Thank you so much!
^{~ Stephanie. August 13, 2021}

June in Toronto. It was a wonderful morning - so enjoyable.
^{~ June. August 13, 2021}

Fantastic! I loved seeing/hearing you tell together :)
^{~ 'Purple Vegan" August 6, 2021}

Thank you for such compelling stories. This hour went by so quickly because the stories were so compelling. A benefit of zooming for storytelling.
^{~ Joan. July 30, 2021}

Ladies, what a marvelous set of stories. All of them beautifully told.
^{~ Anna. July 30, 2021}

My first time coming to this event. Fabulous. Thank you.
^{~ Joan. July 30, 2021}

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SEASON CLOSING of TALES FROM THE HILL 2021
On Wednesday, June 2 we celebrated the season with a two-hour event. It was a charming evening. Such a rich eclectic array of stories - - - folktales that prompted listeners to suspend belief as only a story can do, stories of family, memories, and mystery.
We welcomed celebrated tellers: Susan Boucaud, Jean Bubba, Elizabeth Matson, and June Brown. In addition, our own members Don Conibear, Brian Holstein, Rusty Dougherty, and Jenny Q charmed us.

Click here to learn about our members.

Each month it was wonderful to welcome listeners and tellers from far and wide. Not to be trite, but the silver lining applies to the virtual world was evident. How, else but virtually, could we meet friends from Texas, Wisconsin, Australia, across the country, and more.

Now we welcome the summer event - every Friday morning at 10:30 EDT. Click here.

Messages from listeners and guest tellers:

I'm so glad I got to hear your story Sya! As always, it was a special tale and you told it so beautifully.

Thank you!
^{~ AK June 5, 2021}

Brian always seems to come up with something new and different that tickles the funny bone, touch the heart and gives us a glimpse into life in Australia as it used to be.
^{~ AK June 2, 2021}

Hello Sya,
Just want to thank you for extending an invitation to villagers to attend the telling last evening. I enjoyed it very much! Don's story about the Burghers of Calais picked me, and I’ve now repeated it to my son, an illustrator, who knows more about art than I do, and who will be very interested in the story I’m sure. I don’t see myself as a storyteller, but I sure like to hear a good story so that was a great pleasure for me, and I am grateful! 🤓
^{~ LK. May 5, 2021}
Sya, I just love the way you tell, the honesty in your voice, and your choice of stories- you are awesome!. This week I found a link on Facebook to the Guelph Guild of storytellers and I was able to listen to you on YouTube. I was truly elated.

^{~ CD, Halifax.}
"What a treat and a privilege to share the Guelph Story Teller’s stories tonight. I enjoy myself as a listener each month. But at Christmas, and this Christmas especially, we all need to think of these wonderful stories from years past. So thankful."
~ ^{NC. (Dec 23, 2020)}

"Many thanks for the invite to tell in Guelph. I enjoyed the stories and meeting your group. Susan’s ending was perfect."

^{~ JB (Dec 2, 2020)}
". . . Find it interesting and intriguing that there could be such a variety of stories. Thumbs up! "
^{~ DV (Dec 2, 2020)}

". . . Your evenings always have a lovely tone of peace, acceptance, and impressive tales. Thank you."
^{~ AK (Nov 4, 2020)}

. . . thanks for such a delightful evening last night. I have the dates noted until Christmas.
^{~ NC (Sept 3, 2020)}

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> > GGSs Celebrating Canada Day 2020 with Stories: CLICK HERE

Tea 'n' Tales 2020

> > Click here to learn about the tellers confirmed before COVID-19

Our Story

Tea and tales opening The Guelph Guild of Storytellers (GGS) was founded in 1984 by a small group of Guelph authors and tellers. Now, decades later, it continues to champion storytelling with the same spirit of love for the spoken word and desire to share stories to entertain, to engage, to inspire wonder, curiosity, and appreciation, to spark imagination, and to inform. From the beginning, the search was for adult audiences to share and nurture the ancient art and to encourage tellers of all levels. For years, members regularly got together to build and polish stories, often around a theme, to plan programs for the year, and to organize an events calendar. Currently, a core group of nine members stand on the shoulders of these originators and proudly continue the tradition of monthly planning meetings to organize group events. In addition, we're excited to offer regular monthly tutoring evenings, starting this fall, (Sept 2019), for *members. (annual membership $10) (for email inquiries.)

In addition, individual GGS members respond to requests for telling in senior homes, schools, churches, Scouts / Guides, birthday parties, community events, etc.
Guelph is recognized for its vibrant, rich arts identity and diversity. GGS is proud to make a contribution to that rich tapestry.

Currently, GGS continues its two main series during the year, summers in an outdoor setting (Enabling Garden), fall/winter/spring in a museum (Guelph Civic Museum).

SUMMER: Tea "n" Tales continues its decade+ partnership with the Enabling Garden, a weekly Friday morning summer telling on the banks of the Speed River. (See Events for details.)

~ 2020 - Friday mornings10:30 to 11:30. June 26 to September 4 at Guelph Enabling Garden

Guelph Guild of Storytellers (GGS) and the Enabling Garden were proud to announce the 2020 Tea 'n Tales roster. Sad that the COVID-19 pandemic has forced its cancellation. It would have been the the13th year of Tea ‘n’ Tales as a free summer-long Friday morning storytelling series of performances, held in the idyllic setting of the Enabling Garden in Riverside Park. Over the 12 years, the event has grown in popularity, with audiences that sometimes exceed 140 people on a given Friday, as it did on the closing event in 2019.
Click here for details and the exciting roster of 2020 tellers.
> Press Release at posted on Guelph Today.
> Follow us on Facebook.
> Click here for Testimonials.

Tales From the Hill

Over the years GGS hosted tellings in various venues including The Boat House, Guelph Public Libraries, The Book Shelf - each with a legacy of fond memories.

GGS is delighted that the Guelph Civic Museum has become a permanent home for the free monthly evening storytelling from September to June, every first Wednesday from 7:00 to 8:30 pm. It's a privilege to be a part of the rich array of programs and services that the Civic Mu seum provides.

Open mic is a regular feature at these monthly event. It's a warm, welcoming community of tellers and listeners, ideal for new tellers to test their wings. Guests are invited to register their story in advance. In addition, we end the evening with a social time around a table with light refreshments - cider, cheese/crackers and sweets add a warmth.

GGS appreciates the collaborations, including the advantage of piggy-backing on the Enabling Garden and Museum's social media presense and their generous sponsorship that allows these storytellig events to be offered free of charge. (freewill donations gratefully accepted.).

Like us on Facebook

GGS links with local groups who also offer events, workshops, concerts, and directories of individual tellers. Some of these groups are: Storytellers Canada-Conteurs du Canada, Burlington Storytellers’ Guild, Storytelling Toronto

Great season of VirtualiTEA N Tales 2021

"Many thanks for the invite to tell in Guelph. I enjoyed the stories and meeting your group. Susan’s ending was perfect."

^{~ JB (Dec 2, 2020)}

Tea 'n' Tales 2020

Our Story

"In the same way that hammers and saws
are useful tools to build houses,
stories are useful as tools
for thinking about the world.
~The Cow of No Colour (N. Jaff & S. Zeitlin. Holt 1998).

About GGS

Events

Join Us

Great season of VirtualiTEA N Tales 2021

"Many thanks for the invite to tell in Guelph. I enjoyed the stories and meeting your group. Susan’s ending was perfect."

~ JB (Dec 2, 2020)

Tea 'n' Tales 2020

Our Story

"In the same way that hammers and saws are useful tools to build houses, stories are useful as tools for thinking about the world.~The Cow of No Colour (N. Jaff & S. Zeitlin. Holt 1998).

About GGS

Events

Join Us

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^{~ JB (Dec 2, 2020)}

"In the same way that hammers and saws
are useful tools to build houses,
stories are useful as tools
for thinking about the world.
~The Cow of No Colour (N. Jaff & S. Zeitlin. Holt 1998).