Season 2, Episode 5: Behind every summer is a community that keeps Fire Island alive. This episode explores the history of the beloved Pines Pantry through the eyes of its iconic Pantry Girls, alongside the volunteer firefighters of The Pines and Cherry Grove who protect the island from fires, hurricanes, beach erosion, and an uncertain future.
BALTIMORE STORY FEST 2026 Returns With Expanded Storytelling Intensive
Curated and directed by Phill Branch, the festival will take place on The Philip Arnoult Stage.
By: A.A. Cristi
Baltimore Story Fest will return for its third year May 1–3, 2026, at Theatre Project. Curated and directed by Phill Branch, the festival will take place on The Philip Arnoult Stage.
Now in its third year, Baltimore Story Fest continues to spotlight storytellers who use personal narrative to engage audiences and share lived experience. In 2026, the festival expands to include a three-day writing and storytelling intensive for artists, writers, and others interested in developing personal narratives.
“People kept asking how the stories are made—on the page, on stage, in real time,” said Branch. “This felt like a natural next step. A way to open that process up and invite people into it.”
The intensive is grounded in the same approach that informs Branch’s debut memoir, The Double Dutch Fuss, and focuses on guiding participants from memory to manuscript to performance. The workshop will cover writing, structure, and live storytelling techniques over three sessions.
The May 1 session, “Writing the Personal Narrative — Finding the Story,” will focus on identifying meaningful material, developing voice, and exploring emotional entry points. The May 2 session, “Craft & Structure — Shaping the Work,” will address narrative structure, pacing, and revision. The May 3 session, “From Page to Stage — The Art of Storytelling,” will shift to performance, including delivery, audience connection, and adapting written work for live presentation.
A special pre-launch book reading and live podcast event will also be presented as part of the festival.
Branch is a GrandSLAM Champion of The Moth and a recipient of the Maryland State Arts Council’s Individual Artist Award for Solo Performance. He is the founder and Creative Director of Baltimore Story Fest and a Resident Artist at the Howard County Center for the Arts.
Workshop sessions will take place May 1 at 7:30 p.m., May 2 at 7:30 p.m., and May 3 at 3:00 p.m.
Tickets are $15 for general admission or $35 for all three storytelling intensive sessions. For more information, call the box office at 410-752-8558.
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