It’s that time of year again! The evenings start to cool down, families start their back-to-school routines and the memories of summer start to fade. That’s why this time of the year is perfect for the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival! Taking place in the parks of beautiful Provo Canyon, the festival is a family-friendly event that caters to the enjoyment of all ages while you sit back, breathe in the crisp mountain air and soak in some great entertainment!

Storytellers of all types (puppetry, music, juggling) from all over, gather together during this scheduled weekend to share their various stories. But these aren’t just “stories,” these are performances. Each storyteller is so animated, vivacious and passionate about their tale that it comes through with so much emotion. They’ll have you doubled-over in laughter, tearing up or in awe with amazement; you’ll feel as though you were just lifted up and transported to another world.

This year from September 2nd – 4th, the Storytelling Festival will take place in Orem and Provo, UT.

Cherish Bound, a proud sponsor of the event, is selling discount tickets from their website.  Be sure to purchase yours now and plan on spending the weekend with your family and friends for an event you’ll soon make a tradition!

And for more information, check out SassyScoops’ preview and review of last year’s festival.

If you have never been to the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival, plan on it this summer. I was a little hesitant to go not knowing what to expect, but I am here to tell you that it was one of the funnest date nights we have had in a while! My husband described it as being better than a comedy club because they take you on a roller coaster of emotion. One minute you are laughing and then you take a quick turn to heartbreak. It is amazing how storytellers can draw you in and make you feel a part of their lives in such a short period! When we returned home well after 11 p.m. it was like we had some sort of euphoric runners high. We were both wide awake and so, well, happy.

I was so pleased to meet Carol Rice, the President of Cherish Bound. From the minute I met her she had this wonderful glow about her and you could tell she was completely at home at the festival. She was so excited to share the experience with us, and now I know why! Storytelling has such a power. It takes a moment in time that could be lost forever and through its writer or teller is transformed into an outpouring of her soul, truly a walk in her shoes. Capturing these moments and treasured family tales is what Cherish Bound is all about.

The Storytelling Festival comes around a couple of times a year, but Cherish Bound is here with an entire line of amazing products to help you find, capture and share your story anytime of year. They truly do have something for everyone whether you want to document the lifetime experiences of your ancestors (or yourself) or just get a conversation started at the dinner table.

One of my favorite ideas from Cherish Bound is the tribute book from the family collection. With Mother’s Day coming up what could be a more beautiful way to show your love and honor your mother than to express to her the intangible gifts she has bestowed. My siblings and I made Tribute books for both my mother and father and they were by far some of the most treasured gifts. They are proudly displayed in their front room for all their guests to see.

Another product I wish I had known about earlier is the Birth to 18 Months book from the early childhood collection. I really tried to keep a journal throughout pregnancy and wanted to document my son’s birth story but quickly became frustrated with the details and gave up on the part where I was in labor. I did not even document my feelings about his birth! Pitiful, I know. The Cherish Bound Story Starter covers the first 18 months of life and truly is a must for every new parent. It breaks it down for you and helps you know where to start. Carol the owner of Cherish Bound shared this insight into the early childhood story starters, “even when you’re writing in hindsight the Story Starters bring the memories back
like it just happened.  I wrote a book for my kids using that exact Story Starter when my “baby” was 8 and using it I remembered things I hadn’t thought about in years.” So it is never too late!

All in all, I am truly joyful that I was a part of this review. I was exposed to the amazing and powerful art of storytelling for the first time and got to meet Carol who encourages  me with her mission to capture those inspiring and timeless tales one family at a time.

So now that you are all motivated, what better way to start than with a fun GIVEAWAY!

You can win your very own Family Yearbook with the story starter and book from Cherish Bound by commenting on this post!

This Story Starter is filled with ideas for writing about every member of your family, your favorite pastimes, foods and activities from the year. It will help you identify trends and celebrate the “everyday” of your family.

For the chance to win this giveaway you must:

-Comment on this post once

-For 5 extra entries tweet about this giveaway

-For 10 extra entries facebook about this giveaway

-For 15 extra entries blog about this giveaway

Good luck! This giveaway ends Friday, March 12th at midnight!

THE GIVEAWAY WAS WON BY CRYSTAL AND IS NOW CLOSED.

So what did the Sassies, guest Sassy Shannon and their families think of The Timpanogos Midwinter Storytelling Festival? Read on to find out!
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QUESTION

What was your first impression?
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THE SCOOP

Michelle: The festival staff were so kind and went out of their way to help us find our tickets. I was impressed with the level of service.
Jared (Michelle’s husband): The waiting area seemed like a sci fi con minus the props and booths. There were a surprising number of people of all ages there.
Jane (aka “Shannon”): My high school didn’t have a fancy auditorium like this!
Sally (Jane’s daughter): This is going to be cool.
Tom (Jane’s husband): I wonder who the other storyteller is.
Stephanie: I was so impressed with the storytellers. I didn’t expect to be so captivated.
Brian (Stephanie’s husband): I was a bit worried that my 2 sons (12 and 14yo) would not enjoy it. By the end of the evening, they seemed to be enjoying themselves even more than I did.
Josh (Stephanie’s son): I thought it was very interesting that the stage wasn’t set up like when you see plays or musicals.
Xander (Stephanie’s son): Should be some good classic stories. I think these people have had a fun past!

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QUESTION

What did you like the most?

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THE SCOOP

Michelle: I loved how through their stories they could take you from laughing to heartbreak at the turn of a hat. Their stories were so descriptive that you really felt like you were there with them. It was like they were creating a movie in my mind. I questioned whether I would enjoy the evening, but it was surprisingly fun!
Jared: I liked how their story would move toward the climax from multiple directions. The storyteller would approach the climax from one direction, but instead of just going straight to it, they would back up and move toward it again from another direction. It was like a three-dimensional story.
Jane: I loved everything. You have to be a bit patient with storytelling. It doesn’t start with a bang like most movies or TV. You have to trust the storyteller during the setup and the background, and then the story sneaks up and wallops you. Mary Gay Ducey’s story about her librarian mother and her father who would come get her anytime made me cry. Donald Davis had me rolling, as usual. Loved the story of his neighbor’s flashy new girlfriend, and how young Donald scared her away.
Sally: The guy, Donald Davis. His stories were funny; I laughed the most when he got the rocket car down the driver and it landed on The Smith’s doghouse.
Tom: Donald Davis. He’s a master storyteller. I don’t even know why his stories are that engaging—they just are. From start to finish I’m mesmerized.
Stephanie: The stories. They were so magical. It was amazing how they could take something as simple as a neighbor or a car ride and convey it in such a fascinating manner.
Brian: I like Donald’s stories the best. The way that he was able to paint a picture and lead you on a journey was very entertaining.
Josh: The stories were very funny.
Xander: The story about when the guy was experimenting with his chemicals and made gunpowder!

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QUESTION

What didn’t you like?

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THE SCOOP:

Michelle: The seating was really squished. It was in a high school so you can’t expect much, but poor Jared was literally being leaned on by a rather husky fellow who could not fit in his own seat.
Jared: The seats. They were small and there was a very large man sitting next to me.
Jane: I didn’t want it to end. But somehow, it would be nice if you could lie on the couch while listening.
Sally: Nothing. I didn’t like nothing. {couldn’t have said it better myself}
Tom: Davis’ second story was a bit didactic. Stories should stand by themselves without squeezing a moral out of it.
Stephanie: That it ended. I wanted to hear Donald and MaryGay tell me stories all night.
Brian: I am tall. The seats in the high school auditorium were very small, but nothing they could have done about that.
Josh: The seats and how far it was from my house.
Xander: NOTHING!! It was awesome!

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QUESTION

Would you visit again?

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THE SCOOP:

Michelle: For sure! I would love to go to the summer festival and hear more. I loved how the storytellers took me on an emotionally charged trip through their childhood adventures!
Jared: Yes, I wish there was an email list so I could know the dates of the summer festival.
Jane: Thanks to Cherish Bound, we experienced the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival last summer for the first time, and I am a convert. I love it and will go back every chance I get. When I was asking Sally these questions, she first said “the washboard lady” was her favorite part, and I had to tell her to pick something from the mid-winter concert, not from this past summer. We still find ourselves, even Spot the three-year old, singing songs from the stories this summer.
Sally: Definitely. I loved it!
Tom: Most certainly.
Stephanie: YES! I am already planning on the summer event. Or maybe “anxiously awaiting” might be a better term.
Brian: Yes I would definitely go back again and bring some other people with me too.
Josh: Yes. I think my Mom said she is taking us this summer.
Xander: Yes!

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QUESTION

If you could only send out one tweet about the business, what would you say?

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THE SCOOP:

Michelle: Want to depart from the ordinary & enter the extraordinary for date night? Let your imagination soar at the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival
Jared: Hey, I went and listened to these awesome stories. It was better than I expected. {I’m thinking Jared doesn’t quite get the concept of tweeting just yet.}
Jane: The Timpanogos Storytelling Festival should be Utah’s sixth national park. It’s that awesome.
Sally: The stories are amazing and you should really go. The storytelling festival is the best festival I’ve had.
Tom: The Timpanogos Storytelling Festival is important (and fun) because stories are what give us meaning.
Stephanie: The Timpanogos Storytelling Festival transports you into the amazing world of the storytellers.
Brian: I was pleasantly surprised at how entertaining the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival was. I’ll be back next year.
Josh: The Timpanogos Storytelling Festival has funny and inspirational storytellers. Great for kids 12 and over.
Xander: Go to the Timpanogas Storytelling festival this Summer! It’s GREAT for family trips!
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CHECK OUT THEM SCOOPS!

Here is the official SassyScoops.com rating for The Timpanogos Storytelling Festival’s Midwinter event.
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Atmosphere	Family friendly	Location
Prices	Quality	Service

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Here’s the scoop on our guest Sassy Shannon. We’d consider it a real treat if you’d visit her super sweet blog!…

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Shannon (aka “Jane”)

I blog (under the name Jane) at Seagull Fountain, where I recently vowed never to use the words “good” and “bad” in the same sentence as “mother” again. I’m married to Mr. Bennet (not his real name) and have three girls: Sally, Susan & Spot. I think most TV is highly overrated (esp. that Glee show and the new series Buffy the Vampire Slayer which I just discovered on hulu.com) but love House, Castle, Burn Notice, Bones, and The Office. I don’t have time to read. (Just kidding). Kinda. I think it was really awesome of the Sassies to let me tag along. I’m free most weeknights if you guys are ever reviewing, say, Thai Drift or Bombay House, or, you know, Chick-fil-A.

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Return to SassyScoops.com on Friday. You won’t want to miss our Follow-up Friday post! It’s always entertaining when the Sassies (and guest Sassies) get together!

To be honest when the Sassies were invited by Carol Rice of Cherish Bound to my first Timpanogos Storytelling event, I had no clue what to expect.   I know several of the other Sassies had been to prior events and enjoyed them immensely but I had no experience to speak of.  Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised as was my family.  If you assume your tweens and teens wouldn’t be interested in hearing stories anymore, you would be completely wrong.  The storytellers are animated, lively, and invite you into their lives to the point you feel like you were actually there.

That is why the Sassies are so thrilled that  company like Cherish Bound exists.  You can turn your own memories into stories for your family to enjoy for years to come.  They provide you with the tools to help create amazing family books with stories to tell for generations after you.  With Spring, Mother’s Day, and even Father’s Day fast approaching, think of all the memories you will be creating.  Capturing those memories is what Cherish Bound is all about.  Taking your quality family time and allowing that to be shared over and over again.  You never know what will be important to them in the future.  Even a simple car ride with their father can create an amazing tale 50 years later.

Telling stories sparks old memories, new thoughts, and most importantly a conversation amongst friends and families.  Find out what conversation the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival sparked in the Sassy’s review on Wednesday!

So what did a couple of our Sassies think of the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival? Read on to find out!
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QUESTION

What was your first impression?
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THE SCOOP

Allison: I’ve been before, so I knew what to expect, but I was really happy to see how crowded it was!
Marie: Beautiful scenery! I love being up in the mountains.
Rachael: Loved the atmosphere! It’s so beautiful up Provo Canyon! I also dig the artwork that they have branding the event.
Vanessa: Wow, this is a BEAUTIFUL location! Just flat out enamored (am I using the right word?) by some of the story tellers and musicians!

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QUESTION

What did you like the most?

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THE SCOOP

Allison: The storytellers, they were phenomenal.
Marie: That my kids were so enthralled with each story! They really got sucked in and listened to every minute. The Bed Time Stories were perfect for my kids.
Rachael: felt like a good parent :D (you know, taking my kids to a festival that would stretch their brains a bit)
Vanessa: The story tellers, my girls adored the mimes, the food vendors were such a great pick, everything was spaced out nicely (the tents, booths, etc.) even though there were tons of people there it didn’t feel uncomfortably packed. I also loved all the wonderful children’s books for sale.

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QUESTION

What didn’t you like?

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THE SCOOP:

Allison: I wasn’t sure where to go to redeem my ticket, where I should have been at any given time. It would have been nice to get a brochure in the mail ahead of time with instructions. But then again, I’m slow like that.
Marie: That I didn’t have time to be there every minute. Next year, I’ll be going for 3 days straight!
Rachael: Parking, Shuttles, Directions . . . I even brought their site up on my phone and it didn’t help me much. I don’t live in Utah County so I needed some more clear cut info.
Vanessa: The bus system, how they didn’t have signs at the festival telling you what bus to get on and no one around that knew how to help. My girls and I weren’t feeling well and we just needed to get home! Also the schedule, it wasn’t as detailed and organized as it should have been. We lost a lot of time and missed out on things we came to see because of the schedule or the volunteers not knowing the answers. Also the golf carts, they were everywhere and didn’t seem like it was necessary and it got annoying having to make sure they didn’t run us over every 5 seconds.

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QUESTION

Would you visit again?

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THE SCOOP:

Allison: In a heartbeat. My kids are already begging for next summer. Can’t wait.
Marie: Yes, and I’ll be going every year now!
Rachael: Definitely, I will go back and spend more time. Once you actually get to the festival it’s amazing and I wished that we had carved out more time to stay there.
Vanessa: Yes, we will be attendees for life ALTHOUGH I will go out of my way to figure out when exactly things are so we don’t miss out this next time, even if it means tracking down the head honcho!

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QUESTION

If you could only send out one tweet about the business, what would you say?

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THE SCOOP:

Allison: Timpanogos Storytelling Festival, where storytellers win awards for being Liar of the Year! Don’t miss it!
Marie: For a fun filled family weekend, visit the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival!
Rachael: Check out the amazing Timpanogos Storytelling festival – but plan ahead for parking and schedule! Kids loved it!
Vanessa: Frustrated with the organization but in awe of the talent at the Timp Story Festival, attendees for life!

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Atmosphere	Family friendly	Location
Prices	Quality	Service

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Return to SassyScoops.com on Friday. You won’t want to miss our Follow-up Friday on the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival. It’s always entertaining when the Sassies get together!

The Timpanogos Storytelling Festival has been around since 1990 and grown each year‚ now totalling at 26,000 attendeds. The Festival is recognized throughout the national storytelling world and is something Utahns look forward to every single year.

The festival is full of wonderful musicians, amazing story tellers, hilarious mimes and is held beautifully out in nature at the new Mt. Timpanogos Park in Provo Canyon.

So is this event Family Friendly? Is the customer service up to our standards? Did our families and did we ourselves enjoy attending? So how to you think the Sassies enjoyed it?

For many of us it was our first time to the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival, will we will be back next year? This is a mixed and very honest review so you will want to check out our offical review posted this Wednesday!