Unicoi County Hospital hosts free outdoor storytelling concert series Aug. 12, Sept. 9
The field beside Unicoi County Hospital will be alive with music from Unicoi County High School Bluegrass Band, storytelling from a flatbed trailer stage and family-friendly lawn games like cornhole and hula hoops on Monday, Aug. 12, and Monday, Sept. 9, both from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
Celebrated Asheville storyteller Connie Regan-Blake headlines the August concert with mountain lore, true-life tales and side-splitting stories in her performance.
On Sept. 9, fan-favorite West Virginia tall-tale teller and five-time winner of the West Virginia Liars Contest Bil Lepp will take the stage. Both storytellers are sponsored by the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough as part of its collaborative initiative with the hospital to use storytelling as a means of healing, communication and engaging communities.
The public is invited to both events, which are free, and encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets, a picnic and the whole family. A food truck will be onsite from 5:30-7 p.m., and hula hoops, jump ropes, cornhole games and a book giveaway will be hosted by STRONG Kids, a joint program of Ballad Health, Niswonger Children’s Hospital and Speedway Children’s Charities designed to help improve the lives of children in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.
At each concert, the Unicoi County High School Bluegrass Band will perform at 6:30 p.m., followed by the storyteller’s performance at 7 p.m.
“We want Unicoi County Hospital to be a place of wellness, a place of connection for our entire community,” said Eric Carroll, hospital administrator. “This concert series is one way to bring the community together. We know storytelling promotes healing and can reduce anxiety and stress. We want to invite everyone to join us for these Monday nights to enjoy our storytellers and our beautiful surroundings.”
Unicoi County Hospital is located at 2030 Temple Road in Erwin. For more information, please call Deborah Lowery, Ballad Health’s director of storytelling, at 423-302-3036.
