Patchwork Tales Storytelling Festival

Timeless Tales, Music, & More! • September 20, 2025 • The White Home, Rock Hill, SC

Join us for the 24th Annual Patchwork Tales Storytelling Festival! This beloved community tradition brings the art of storytelling to life with unforgettable performances by acclaimed national and local tellers. Enjoy a week of exciting pre-festival events, then come together on festival day for stories, music, activities, and more fun for all ages.

Admission and parking are free! Be sure to sample some of the delicious offerings from our participating food trucks. Friendly, leashed pets are welcome, but please note that alcoholic beverages are not permitted.

Schedule • Performers • Sponsors • Additional Information

Pre-Festival Event Schedule

Monday, August 4, – Friday, August 29, 2025

York County Library Youth Visual Art Contest

In celebration of Patchwork Tales, York County Library is sponsoring a Youth Visual Art Contest! 2-D, 3-D, digital art, and photography entries will be accepted. To enter, drop off your art between August 4–29 at any YCL branch or email digital submissions to teenservices@yclibrary.org. Please include your name, age, title of your work, phone number, and email address. An art reception will be held September 20 during the festival to recognize all participants and winners.

Prizes: First-prize winners will receive a $50 gift card, and second-prize winners will receive a gift basket! Prizes will be awarded for each age group.

Age Groups: A) 7–9 years; B) 10–12 years; C) 13–15 years; D) 16–18 years

Eligibility and Rules: All students living or attending school in York County, SC, are invited to participate. Entries must be family-friendly and no larger than 24". Age group will be determined by the participant's age on the date of submission. York County Library reserves the right to use, assign, modify, edit, adapt, dispose of, or electronically alter entries. For more information or details about artwork pickup, contact Teen Services.

Monday, September 8, & Monday, September 15, 2025

Carlo L'Chelle Dawson: The Art of Storytelling for Teens

Carlo L’Chelle Dawson, professional storyteller and City of Rock Hill Poet Laureate, will lead a two-part teen storytelling workshop. Registration for this event is required. Participants from this workshop may be a featured youth storyteller at the Historic White Home on September 20.

Saturday, September 13, – Saturday, September 20, 2025

Lona Bartlett: Virtual Performances for All Ages

Stories are meant for everyone, from the tiny to the tall. Lona Bartlett will share delightful tales online that the whole family can enjoy together, featuring puppets, folktales, and stories that will bring smiles and giggles to all.

9:00 a.m. via the YCL YouTube Channel (available to view through Saturday, September 20)

Tuesday, September 16, – Thursday, September 18, 2025

Lona Bartlett: Senior Living Community and Adult Day Center Performances

Lona Bartlett presents a special performance for York County seniors. (By invitation only.)

Friday, September 19, 2025

David Novak: Elementary School Performances

David Novak presents a special performance for York County elementary school students. (By invitation only.)

Susan O'Halloran: Elementary School Performances

Susan O'Halloran presents a special performance for York County elementary school students. (By invitation only.)

Festival Events

Saturday, September 20, 2025

Crafts and Activities

Join Library staff and our community partners inside The White Home for these special free Patchwork Tales activities! Patchwork Tales merchandise will also be available for purchase at the Friends of the Library Welcome Table.

10:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Celebrate the creativity of young artists at the Youth Visual Art Contest reception.

10:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. Let Kristin's Kreations put a smile on your face with enchanting face painting for children.

10:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. Meet and greet local author K.E. Lewis as he shares his newest picture book, Never Take Your Rhino on a Plane.

10:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Don't miss out on the fun character drawings from the entertaining Caricatures by Jerry.

11:00 a.m.–12:45 p.m. Join Thomas Monroe from the SC Department of Employment and Workforce at the STEAM Interactive Table.

12:00–4:00 p.m. Hear colorful tales from Historic Rock Hill members about Ann White and her brother, Hiram Hutchison, two impactful Rock Hillians who helped make this thriving city what it is today.

1:30–4:00 p.m. Check out the balloon-twisting room and see what Kristin's Kreations can create for you.

1:30–4:30 p.m. Stop by the Catawba Cultural Center Informational Craft Table to experience traditional Catawba stories and create a lovely wooden ornament featuring characters from these historic tales.

2:00–4:30 p.m. Enjoy a quilt display and live demonstration by the York County Quilters Guild.

Festival Performances

Gather on the lawn outside The White Home for stories, music, and more entertainment from our featured performers! Some folding chairs will be provided, but personal lawn chairs are welcome.

11:00–5:30 p.m. Carlo Dawson: Welcome and Introductions
Award-winning author, "edutainer," and festival emcee Carlo Dawson will welcome guests, introduce performers, and share a few stories of her own as she guides the audience through the day's events.

11:00–11:45 a.m. Roger Day: Dream Big!
Get ready to sing loud, jump high, and dream big! Roger Day's musical performance encourages creativity, audience participation, and positive self-concept, as he performs songs from his album Dream Big!, winner of the Parents' Choice Gold award.

12:00–12:45 p.m. Wildlife Geeks: Animals in Action
Meet a variety of rescue animals from around the world in this hands-on, interactive show! Be part of the action as Wildlife Geeks brings the zoo to you.

1:00–1:55 p.m. Youth Storytelling: Showcase
Featured York County teen storytellers unleash their creativity to share stories for family, fans, and friends.

2:00–2:45 p.m. Susan O'Halloran: Pot of Gold – Irish Stories and Songs
You don't have to be Irish to enjoy these stories and songs! From inspiring tales of searching for connections in the "old country" to the comical Irish way of "taking on the opposition," Susan O'Halloran celebrates everyone's heritage and looks at what's universal for us all: family, sacrifice, and, always, joy and laughter in the face of life's challenges.

2:50–3:35 p.m. David Novak: Return to Storyland
Journey through the woods to a place where stories live! David Novak takes the entire family on a trip to Storyland, with surprising adaptations of old stories and inventive originality.

3:35–3:50 p.m. Carlo Dawson: Youth Visual Art Contest Winners
Carlo Dawson announces the winners of the Youth Visual Art Contest, presenting awards to the first- and second-place artists in each age group.

3:55–4:40 p.m. Susan O'Halloran: Three Generations, One Story
Whether she's "dishing" about chain-smoking grandmas or sharing humorous folktales, Susan O'Halloran delivers an uplifting celebration of the many roles women play, and the friendships that sustain them.

4:45–5:30 p.m. David Novak: The Animated Life
In the eyes of a storyteller, everything comes to life! David Novak explores what happens when we give the world a voice of its own. Listen, and see if you can tell.

Performers

Lona Bartlett

Lona Bartlett is a professional storyteller, puppeteer, and educator who has delighted audiences throughout the U.S. and internationally for over 30 years. Lona grew up in the Catskill mountains of upstate New York, part of the Appalachian mountain range, and blends together her love of story, puppets, and small-town life to create a unique experience on stage. No matter the genre, whether it be folktales, fairytales, puppets, or personal stories, Lona loves bringing excitement and insight to a wide variety of audiences..

Carlo Dawson

Carlo Dawson is an award-winning author, poet, master storyteller, historic dramatic reenactor, arts integration specialist, motivational speaker, and community organizer. She is also the founder and executive director of the Power of PROGENY Foundation and a teaching artist of nearly 20 years. In short, she calls herself an "edutainer." Carlo is the author of three children’s books and two poetry books and has also been featured on both South Carolina ETV and the BBC News "Juneteenth" feature.

Roger Day

Award-winning children's musician Roger Day has devoted his life to making sure future generations sing loud, jump high, and — most importantly — DREAM BIG! His signature "wit, whimsy, and wordplay" have brought joyful smiles to the faces of kids from one to ninety-two. From songs like "Mosquito Burrito" to "Roly Poly," Roger's music reflects the great respect he has for the intelligence and imagination of even our youngest friends.

David Novak

David Novak combines the simple magic of theatre with the evocative movement and voice of a master storyteller. A recipient of the Circle of Excellence Award from the National Storytelling Network, Novak brings hundreds of stories to life across all genres. Whether performing for thousands at the National Storytelling Festival or for a small group of wide-eyed children, his audiences savor each sentence and anxiously anticipate the next as he immerses himself completely in every story and embodies each character. His love of storytelling is inescapable.

Susan O’Halloran

Susan O'Halloran is a story artist, writer, television personality, and keynote speaker whose stories focus on family, a sense of place, and how our past affects our present and future. She is the author of several books and diversity curricula. O'Halloran has been featured several times at the International Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee, and is a frequent keynote presenter and seminar leader for the National Storytelling Network's annual conferences. Within her profession, she has received both the Leadership and Service Award and the Circle of Excellence Award.

Wildlife Geeks

Wildlife Geeks is an educational wildlife conservation program with a mission to enlighten current and future generations about the lives of animal species. Led by Chuck Aberding, the organization offers engaging, interactive presentations that promise audiences an unforgettable experience as they connect with and learn about diverse animals.