17th Annual George West Storyfest Nov. 4–6 The Storytelling Capital of Texas[Ergo, the World!]

The Storytelling Capital of Texas is planning exciting events to celebrate the 17th anniversary of Storyfest. Lies and more will be told the weekend of November 4 – 6, 2005

Activities will kick-off Friday morning with the annual Community Breakfast. A great way to start your morning; the morning features free breakfast tacos and hot coffee along with a host of storytellers preparing for their day in the area schools. You have to get up early, as the breakfast begins at 6:30 a.m., but it's well worth the effort. Then, a mere 12 hours later, the annual Chuckwagon Dinner & Show will be held at the Live Oak County Fairgrounds. Featuring an authentic 1800's chuckwagon preparing a delicious meal and great cowboy entertainment with music, storytelling, and cowboy poetry, the evening is highlighted by a live and silent auction. You'll tap your toes to music by South Texas Grass Roots Band before and during dinner and you'll hear great cowboy poets & storytellers such as Dennis Gaines, and Lloyd Shelby, among others. Tickets for the dinner & show are available by presale only, so you'll want to purchase yours early!

All the activities on Friday are just the appetizer for what's to come on Saturday. Beginning at 10:00 a.m., entertainment and activities for all ages takes place around the Live Oak County Courthouse Square in downtown George West. A little red wagon parade kicks off the day, featuring miniature floats of all descriptions parading around the festival grounds. When the parade is complete, the storytelling begins! There will be stories of all types ranging from cowboy poetry to folklore, Irish folk tales to ghost stories. We are welcoming three great tellers this year, Myra Davis, Tim Tingle and Tom McDermott. New this year will be the Texas Liar's Contest; come hear some of the biggest whopper's in the State! There will be stories featured in song, from gospel to country, 50's rock to cowboy tunes. Among the music performers featured will be the Grady Lee, presenting an image as big as Texas with his appearance and his music, Brennen Leigh and her brother Seth with their repertoire of lesser-known and off-the beaten path songs and artists and the ever-popular Riptide and their retro-rock. The kids will have fun in the children's activity area, winning prizes at their favorite game booths and burning off energy on those inflatables. Speaking of booths, there will be plenty of arts & craft booths (early holiday shopping), and don't forget those famous food booths! With delicious foods from fajitas to seafood gumbo, you'll forget all about that diet.

But wait, that's certainly not all! The Texas Tejanos reenactment group will represent Tejano Statesman, Tejano Texas Rangers, and Tejano Heroes from the Alamo or Tejano Ranchers. There will be a "Washington on the Brazos" scene with a "Declaration of Independence" hand out for children. Also, there will be an "Alamo" scene of Tejano Heroes with a hand out list of other Tejano-Defenders and survivors. A Texas Ranger Station with sign-up for children with a handout certificate will be presented. Others will portray first person ranchers with cattle brands, riatas, chaps etc. Clyde the Buffalo and his friends will show off their talents and personalities with a family-friendly, up beat fun learning experience.

Do you remember your first car or maybe the car you always wanted, but Dad wouldn't let you have? Well, come out and enjoy the Classic Car Show and swap tales about the one you used to drive. There will also be a walking quilt tour, with quilts of all types on display at four local churches, all located within one block of the festival grounds. The day goes into evening and that brings our street dance to close out the days' activities. Dance the night away with friends, old

and new, to great music by Right Cumbersome. These guys put their own brand on honky-tonk and Texas music. Their unique raw sound has the crowds dancing, singing along and wanting more.

On Sunday morning, join us as we partner with a local church to bring you an hour and a half of sacred stories. This will be a heartfelt morning of "feel-good" stories, songs & humor. You will find this a peaceful way to end a very busy weekend.

So much to do, all in one great weekend! Mark your calendars now for November 4 – 6, 2005 and don't miss the 17th annual George West Storyfest!

LAUDABLE LIARs

Honest: Former English professor is state's official liar

SCOTT REESE WILLEY

The Progress - She’s been named the biggest fibber in Austin for three years running and was named the biggest liar in Houston last year.
On Saturday former English professor Donna Ingham officially became the biggest liar in the state of Texas.
Ingham told her winning whopper during the first-ever Texas State Liar’s Contest, held at the George West Storyfest.
“It’s a dubious honor, but I guess as far as liars’ contests go, this is the pinnacle,” said Ingham, one of five fabulous fibbers to compete in the tall-tales contest. “I guess you’ve reached the top when you’re named the state’s biggest liar.”
Ingham, of Spicewood, won the first-place plaque for fabricating a story about her father’s penchant for growing oversized fruits and vegetables and her step-mother’s ride in one of his man-sized watermelons.
Dee Cee Cornish of Houston earned a second place plaque for his fib about a weight-loss plan.
Doc Moore of Canyon Lake, Texas, finished the contest in third place for a tale about a pet rattlesnake.
“It was a lot of fun, a very entertaining experience,” said Allan and
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Donna Fogle of San Antonio. “They were excellent storytellers.”
Each of the five contestants appeared by special invitation and were given 15 minutes to share their fabrications.
Some of the contestants had competed in liars’ contests before.
Ingham won liars’ contests in Austin and Houston in recent years. She said she took up the, er, craft, around 1995 after retiring as an English professor. Her secret: each lie contains some truth.
“I mix a little truth with a little bit of fabrication and before long you have yourself an interesting whopper,” she explained after Saturday’s performance.
Ingham said her father always enjoyed growing vegetables and fruits, particularly the large variety. Her stepmother was always canning and entering her delicacies in the county fair. It just so happened that one time her father grew a man-size watermelon. Her mother wanted some of it for the county fair. The Black Diamond melon was so big and thick that she had to carve a big hole to get past the arm-length rhine. She eventually stepped inside and when she did the melon broke loose, rolled all the way to town and split open at the county fair where the juice-drenched canner won first place, Ingham recalled.

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