JACKSON, Wyo. — Teton County Library’s (TCL) Cabin Fever Story Slam is celebrating its 10-year milestone with the 64th story slam on Tuesday, Jan. 14, with the theme “age.”
For the last decade, Cabin Fever Story Slam has offered storytellers the chance to share personal tales and compete for prizes, according to a TCL press release. The historic 10-year event will take place at the Virginian Lodge at 7 p.m.
“We’ve got a few surprises up our sleeve for our 10th birthday party,” Leah Shlachter, TCL adult program coordinator, says in the press release. “When we held the first slam at Pinky G’s pizzeria in January 2015, we had no idea the event would grow into a community institution with attendance numbering in the 200s. All ages of people come out to tell stories, and the audience listens so respectfully.”
After outgrowing Pinky G’s, the story slam moved to Pink Garter Theater for several years, also hosting all-stars events at the Center for the Arts and offering outdoor story slams in the summer months. During the pandemic lock-down, the story slams moved online, then returned to an in-person format in November 2021. The Pink Garter closure led to the trial of new venues and the Virginian Lodge conference room as the current home of the event.
Storytellers who wish to compete will throw their names into a bucket upon arrival at the venue, and, if their names are chosen, they’re charged with telling true, personal, five-minute stories relating to the theme.
A panel of judges will award prizes to their top three storytellers at the end of the evening.
Audience members with no story to tell can still participate by contributing themed mad libs that emcee Jeff Moran reads aloud between stories.
Library programs are free and open to the community.
