The 2026 Women’s Storytelling Festival starts on March 19th at 8:00pm Eastern with a virtual showcase.
View the full festival schedule here.
We are honored to have Elizabeth Ellis emceeing our virtual show. Elizabeth is one of the most beloved storytellers in the United States. She has received the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Circle of Excellence Award from the National Storytelling Network, as well as being designated an American Masterpiece Artist by the National Endowment of the Arts. The “Divine Miss E” is coming to us from Dallas, Texas.
Meghna Bhat is coming to use from California. Her storytelling is focused on social impact and organizational change. As a first-generation South Asian immigrant, she created the Gulabi Stories project, which amplifies South Asian voices. Her work on trauma-informed storytelling led to her receiving the 2025 Oracle Award for regional service and leadership from the National Storytelling Network.
Lyn Ford has been an audience favorite during her performances at previous Women’s Storytelling Festivals. She has appeared at numerous other festivals and conferences, including the National Storytelling Festival and the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival, as well as presenting keynotes at festivals and conferences throughout the U.S. and as far away as Ireland and Australia. Her stories are rich in her Afrilachian heritage, joy, hope, love, and laughter. She’s a two time recipient of the National Storytelling Network’s Oracle Award, receiving both its leadership and service awards, as well as being inducted into its Circle of Excellence, and is a member of the National Association of Black Storytellers Circle of Elders. Lyn is also a Laughter Yoga teacher, as well as a mama, grandmama, and great-grandmama.
Neshama Franklin is based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her storytelling repertoire ranges from folk tales to epics to personal stories from her idiosyncratic life. Her story, “Fish Out of Water,” which features enterprising members of Dancers Workshop performing the Hippie Dance of Love, was chosen as the winner of the first San Francisco Moth Grand Slam. She has performed in venues ranging from libraries, camps, and schools, to the National Storytelling Network Conference, Storyslam Oakland, and 6 Feet Apart Productions. She also has a biweekly radio show on KWMR.org and writes a weekly blog about books for the Fairfax (California, not Virginia) Library, where she works.
Natalie Jones has been a teacher, librarian, and a park ranger. Currently, she is a story and music teaching artist for The Craddock Center in Cherry Log, Georgia. She has appeared at festivals throughout Georgia, Tennessee, the Carolinas, and Virginia and often incorporates puppets and props into her stories. But can you believe any of this? She’s also won prizes in liar’s contests, so you’ll just have to judge for yourself.
Jezrie Marcano-Courtney started telling stories in 2015,. She had planned to be a playwright or screenwriter but stumbled upon a workshop for Tellebration. She’s interested in stories that transcend the color barrier and connect us,. Jezrie is based in New Haven, Connecticut.
Elisa Pearmain comes to us from Hudson, Massachusetts. She has over 30 years of experience telling stories in schools, libraries, churches, and festivals around New England. She has written two award winning books and has produced a CD. In addition to performing, she teaches storytelling and is a licensed psychotherapist, helping people hear their own stories in new ways for personal growth and healing. She is the programming chair for the Healing Story Alliance which helps storytellers and listeners to use stories to heal ourselves, our communities, and our earth.
Hope Wilder will not only be joining us for the virtual showcase from the great state of North Carolina, but she’ll also be joining us to tell a story in-person at the festival in Virginia. Hope co-hosts monthly storytelling open mics with Story Connection NC. She won a Monti Story Slam and participated in the 2025 Monti Grand Slam.
Join Better Said Than Done for the Women’s Storytelling Festival, March 19 – 22, 2026, both in-person in Fairfax City, VA, and live streaming online! The 2026 Women’s Storytelling Festival kicks off March 19 at 8:00pm Eastern/5:00pm Pacific with a virtual only showcase. The in-person storytelling starts at 7:00pm Eastern on March 20 and runs through the evening of March 22, 2026.
Virtual Festival Pass is $50
Full Festival Pass is $70
One Day Tickets available at the Door for $35
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