Upcoming Events

Here's the latest listing  of what I've got coming up, in both storytelling and "storytiming!"  Storytiming first:

Section 1:

WEEKLY LIBRARY STORYTIME EVENTS:

MONDAYS (Livermore Public Library, Civic Center) 

10:15 a.m. Toddler/Preschool Storytime

10:45 a.m. Toddler/Preschool Storytime

4:00 p.m.  Big Kids Wonder Workshop (Storytelling, STEAM, & other activities for students 1st grade & above) (Civic Center) 

WEDNESDAYS (Livermore Public Library, Rincon) 

10:15 a.m. Toddler/Preschool Storytime

11:00 a.m. Bilingual Baby Storytime (prewalkers)

___________________________________

Section 2:

STORYTELLING APPEARANCES:

Sunday, June 4

BANKHEAD THEATER

2400 First Street Livermore

Storytelling at noon, outside the theater, with book creation station activity afterward.  Learn about upcoming theater & library events, and enter to win "a family 4-pack of tickets to any LVPAC show in the 2017-2018 Season."

Thursday, July 6

MILPITAS LIBRARY

Storytelling at 3:00 and 7:00

Wednesday, July 12
NIPOMO LIBRARY
Storytelling at 1:00

Thursday, July 20

GILROY LIBRARY

Storytelling at 1:30

Wednesday, August 2

CASTRO VALLEY LIBRARY

Storytelling at 2:00

SPECIAL EVENT:

Saturday, August 19:

Join me for a Summer Sleepover at CHILDREN'S FAIRYLAND!

This a special paid event, with many special activities.  I'll be sharing stories right before the campers head to their tents for the night.  Register for this event at the park website.

Saturday, September 9

Sunday, September 10

CHILDREN'S FAIRYLAND

Lake Merritt, Oakland

Storytelling at 1:30 &  2:30 each day, included with park admission.

Other recent & upcoming events include school assemblies & family nights for Live Oak Elementary in San Ramon, Warwick Elementary in Fremont, Bee Best Learning Center in Castro Valley, Club Sport in Pleasanton, Building Kiz in Menlo Park, & Prestige Preschool Academy in Morgan Hill.
For regular updates, connect with me on Facebook!

Storyteller John Weaver

Upcoming Events

Here's the latest listing  of what I've got coming up, in both storytelling and "storytiming!"  Storytiming first:


Section 1:
WEEKLY LIBRARY STORYTIME EVENTS:

MONDAYS (Livermore Public Library) THROUGH 5/27
10:15 a.m. Toddler/Preschool Storytime (Civic Center)
10:45 a.m. Toddler/Preschool Storytime (Civic Center)
4:00 p.m.  Big Kids Wonder Workshop (Storytelling, STEAM, & other activities for students 1st grade & above) (Civic Center) 

WEDNESDAYS (Livermore Public Library, Rincon) THROUGH 5/27
10:15 a.m. Toddler/Preschool Storytime
11:00 a.m. Bilingual Baby Storytime (prewalkers)

THURSDAYS (Menlo Park Library) 
10:15 a.m. & 11:15 a.m. Toddler/Preschool Storytimes 

___________________________________

Section 2:
STORYTELLING APPEARANCES:

Thursday, May 5
MENLO PARK LIBRARY

Storytelling at 4pm

Tuesday, May 17

DANVILLE LIBRARY

Storytelling at 4:00 p.m.

Thursday, May 19

CASTRO VALLEY LIBRARY

Storytelling at 10:30 a.m.

Wednesday June 22

PASO ROBLES LIBRARY
1:30 Study Center
3:00 Library

Wednesday, June 29
CAMPBELL LIBRARY
Storytelling at 3:30 p.m.

Wednesday, July 6
LOS ALTOS LIBRARY

Storytelling at 3:00 p.m.

Friday, July 8
BELLE HAVEN BRANCH LIBRARY, MENLO PARK

Storytelling at 2:00 p.m.

Wednesday, July 13
SARATOGA LIBRARY

Storytelling at 2:30 p.m.

Tuesday, July 19
FAIRFIELD CORDELIA LIBRARY
Storytelling at 3:30

Thursday, July 21
MILPITAS LIBRARY
Storytelling at 3:00

Tuesday, July 26
ARROYO GRANDE LIBRARY
Storytelling at 2:00

Wednesday, July 27
NIPOMO LIBRARY
Storytelling at 1:00

Thursday, July 28
ATASCADERO LIBRARY
Storytelling at 10:30

Thursday, July 28
OCEANO LIBRARY
Storytelling at 3:00

Saturday, July 30

Sunday, July 31
CHILDREN'S FAIRYLAND
Lake Merritt, Oakland
Storytelling at 1:30 & 2:30 each day, included with park admission.

Other recent or upcoming events include storytelling & education programs for Live Oak Elementary, Prestige Preschool Academy, and Merryhill School. Private events (for schools, etc.) do not show up in listings above. For regular updates, connect with me on Facebook!

Upcoming Events

Here's the latest listing  of what I've got coming up, in both storytelling and "storytiming!"  Storytiming first:


Section 1:
WEEKLY LIBRARY STORYTIME EVENTS:

MONDAYS (Livermore Public Library) THROUGH 5/27
10:15 a.m. Toddler/Preschool Storytime (Civic Center)
10:45 a.m. Toddler/Preschool Storytime (Civic Center)
4:00 p.m.  Big Kids Wonder Workshop (Storytelling, STEAM, & other activities for students 1st grade & above) (Civic Center) 


THURSDAYS (Menlo Park Library) 
10:15 a.m. & 11:15 a.m. Toddler Storytimes 

___________________________________

Section 2:
STORYTELLING APPEARANCES:

Saturday, February 27
CHILDREN'S DISCOVERY MUSEUM OF SAN JOSE
Storytelling throughout free Family Lunada/Lunada Familiar event
5:30 - 8:00 p.m.

Thursday, March 3
MENLO PARK LIBRARY

Storytelling at 4pm

Thursday, April 7
MENLO PARK LIBRARY

Storytelling at 4pm

Saturday, April 9

SUNNYVALE LIBRARY

Participating in the 27th Annual Sunnyvale Library Storytelling Festival
2:00-4:30 p.m.

Thursday, May 5
MENLO PARK LIBRARY

Storytelling at 4pm

Tuesday, May 17

DANVILLE LIBRARY

Storytelling at 4:00 p.m.

Wednesday June 22
PASO ROBLES LIBRARY
1:30 Study Center
3:00 Library

Wednesday, June 29
CAMPBELL LIBRARY
Storytelling at 3:30 p.m.

Tuesday, July 19
FAIRFIELD CORDELIA LIBRARY
Storytelling at 3:30

Thursday, July 21
MILPITAS LIBRARY
Storytelling at 3:00

Tuesday, July 26
ARROYO GRANDE LIBRARY
Storytelling at 2:00

Wednesday, July 27
NIPOMO LIBRARY
Storytelling at 1:00

Thursday, July 28
ATASCADERO LIBRARY
Storytelling at 10:30

Thursday, July 28
OCEANO LIBRARY
Storytelling at 3:00

Other recent or upcoming events include storytelling & education programs for Warm Springs Elementary, Hacienda CDC, and Brier Elementary. Private events (for schools, etc.) do not show up in listings above. For regular updates, connect with me on Facebook!


Storyteller John Weaver

2015: A Look Back

I’m starting off 2016 with a look back at 2015:


In the beginning of the year, I vacationed in Thailand. I did pop into the National Library in Bangkok.


On the way back home, I found TWO libraries inside Taiwan's Taoyuan airport!


Festival Storytelling:I love library Storytelling Festivals; they bring the art into peoples' communities, perhaps introducing them to storytelling for the very first time--and all for free! This year, I shared tales at the Sunnyvale Library Storytelling Festival, and the Los Altos Library Storytelling Festival.


Library Storytelling:
I was happy in 2015 to share more stories at the Campbell Library

In 2015, I made my first storytelling trip to Mendocino County! I shared my tales at libraries in Fort Bragg, Point Arena, Ukiah, and Willits. Another first-time storytelling road trip was one to Yolo County, where I did my thing at the libraries in Esparto & Winters. I ventured to beautiful San Luis Obispo County once again, for storytelling at the libraries in Arroyo Grande & SLO. Closer to my home in the San Francisco Bay Area, I also shared stories at libraries in Campbell, Castro Valley, Los Altos, Milpitas, Morgan Hill, Saratoga, and Sunnyvale.

They were expecting me in San Luis Obispo...


...and in Willits!


In Menlo Park--one of my two home libraries--I hosted monthly storytelling events, especially for elementary-schoolers. It's wonderful to have these ongoing events, which have given me the opportunity to build on stories, and on audience knowledge, to really enrich the experience.


Children's Fairyland

I made several visits to Children's Fairyland, a long-time storytelling home of mine, with 2-day (and 2 performances each day) weekend visits, as well as special-event storytelling for their Sleepover and Fairy Winterland events. I love being a part of the fun!

At home on the Emerald City Stage at Children's Fairyland


Schools, Summer Camps & More:Preschools, Elementary Schools, Middle Schools, day camps, family campouts, book fairs, assemblies...so many different opportunities! This year, they brought me to cities including Alameda, Belmont, Burlingame, Foster City, Fremont, Moraga, Morgan Hill, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, San Jose, and Sunnyvale.


Storytimes, programming & more at my library homes:The Menlo Park Library and the Livermore Public Library have kept me busy this year with a multitude of duties. My regular storytimes have included Baby Storytime, Toddler Storytime, Preschool Storytime, School-age Storytime, Family Storytime, and Bilingual English/Spanish Storytime. Hundreds of books shared!


The school-age event in Livermore--over the years, just a summer event--expanded into the school year in 2015, with mushrooming attendance, to even my surprise. I tell stories, but there are many other rotating elements, including science experiments, reading, art, quiz shows, magic, games, and all kinds of STEAM-y surprises!

A round of "Pin the Han on the Donkey"


A little Halloween-time science & fun



Striking a Bigfoot pose behind a cola geyser

Summer Reading Program planning once again allowed me to bring fun and valuable events to the libraries, and my increasing role in adult programming in Menlo Park has brought decades of my various experiences together, as I plan, program, promote, and host a regular series of events, and many special events, including author appearances, informational presentations, cooking demonstration & instruction, art, poetry, and performance. A big highlight of the year in Menlo Park was getting to once again host an after-hours concert by the Montclair Women's Big Band, an amazingly-talented group!


The programming jobs also lets me bring in a variety of professional storytellers for both adult & youth programs; this year, that group included Tom & Sandy Farley (AKA Spontaneous Combustion) and Ruth Halpern.


So what’s ahead for 2016?More storytelling. More "storytiming!" More library programming! More special library storytelling visits! More Children's Fairyland! More festival storytelling! Visit my Upcoming Events listing regularly for dates of my upcoming storytelling visits to Menlo Park, Oakland, Sunnyvale, Danville, and beyond. What is beyond? Stay with me and we will find out together! And if you know of a place you'd like to see me perform, please let the people in charge know about me! Spread the word!


Happy New Year! Wishing you much health & happiness in 2016.


Storyteller John Weaver
storytellerjohnweaver.com


Keep up with me on Facebook!

Upcoming Events

Here's the latest listing  of what I've got coming up, in both storytelling and "storytiming!"  Storytiming first:


Section 1:
WEEKLY LIBRARY STORYTIME EVENTS:

MONDAYS (Livermore Public Library)
11:15 a.m. Big Kids Read (Storytelling & activities for students 1st grade & above) (Civic Center) STARTING 6/29
6 p.m. Pajamatime Family Storytime (Rincon) STARTING 6/8

THURSDAYS (Menlo Park Library)
11:15 a.m. Toddler Storytime (monthly online registration required)


___________________________________

Section 2:
STORYTELLING APPEARANCES:


Wednesday, June 10

WINTERS COMMUNITY LIBRARY

708 Railroad Avenue, Winters
Storytelling at 2:00

Saturday, June 13
Sunday, June 14
CHILDREN'S FAIRYLAND
Lake Merritt Park, Oakland
Storytelling at 1:30 & 2:30 each day, included with park admission


Wednesday, June 17
MENLO PARK LIBRARY
800 Alma Street
Storytelling at 10:30


Wednesday, June 24
SAN LUIS OBISPO LIBRARY
995 Palm Street, SLO
Storytelling at 10:30

Wednesday, June 24
ARROYO GRANDE LIBRARY
800 W. Branch
Storytelling at 2:00

Thursday, June 25
WOODLAND BRANCH LIBRARY, LOS ALTOS
1975 Grant Road, Los Altos, CA
Storytelling at 3:30

Wednesday, July 8
CAMPBELL LIBRARY
77 Harrison Avenue, Campbell, CA
Storytelling at 3:30 pm.

Friday, July 10
ESPARTO LIBRARY
17065 Yolo Ave.
Storytelling at 1:30 pm.

Wednesday, July 15
MORGAN HILL LIBRARY
660 W Main Ave, Morgan Hill, CA
Storytelling at 3:00 and 4:00

Thursday, July 16
MILPITAS LIBRARY
160 N Main St, Milpitas, CA
Storytelling at 3:00

Wednesday, July 22
SARATOGA LIBRARY
13650 Saratoga Ave, Saratoga, CA
Storytelling at 2:30

Thursday, August 6
WILLITS LIBRARY
390 E. Commercial St., Willits, CA 95490
Storytelling at 11:00

Thursday, August 6

UKIAH LIBRARY

105 N Main St., Ukiah, CA 95482

Storytelling at 1:00

Wednesday, August 12

FORT BRAGG LIBRARY

499 Laurel Street

Storytelling at 10:30

Wednesday, August 12

COAST COMMUNITY LIBRARY

225 Main Street, Point Arena
Storytelling at 1:30

Saturday, August 15

SLEEPOVER AT CHILDREN'S FAIRYLAND

699 Bellevue Avenue, Oakland
**Registered, paid participants: sign up to put up a tent overnight at the park & enjoy rides, shows, snacks & more, after the park closes to the public!**

Other recent or upcoming events include storytelling & education programs for Heads Up, Live Oak Elementary, KinderCare, Bright Horizons, Downtown Scholars, Covenant Preschool, Evergreen Montessori, Prestige Preschool Academy, Woodroe Woods, Casa de Bambini, and Happy Hall. Private events (for schools, etc.) do not show up in listings above. For regular updates, connect with me on Facebook!


Storyteller John Weaver

Going Coastal II: SLO County July 2013

I'm back from another storytelling trip to San Luis Obispo County! 

I was last in the area in October, with a week-long trip sharing stories all over the place (mostly seasonal, spooky tales, as requested by the libraries). It was so great to be back for a two-day, four-event jaunt, on familiar & friendly territory, renewing acquaintances and bringing a new set of tales--this time a bunch of silliness from the famous Juan Bobo--along for some nice, big Summer Reading audiences. Here it all is, in a nutshell:


Day 1: San Luis Obispo Library

The San Luis Obispo Library sure is a bright, sunshiny place first thing in the morning!
BTW, they've added a gorgeous new mural inside since I last visited.

When I performed in this library back in October, it was after dark, and tucked in the stacks of the Children's Section, AND the library was undergoing a construction project--so this experience was quite a bit different! As soon as the library opened at 10, people were starting to hover for my 10:30 program, which was in a nice, big program room in the front of the building. The large crowd was ready for me and my silliness, and the participation level during my storytelling was high--just the way I love it.

Day 2: Atascadero & Paso Robles

Colony Park Community Center, the Atascadero Library's summer performance venue. 

 
I was back at the Atascadero Library, and yet, I was NOT back at the Atascadero Library! Summer Reading season is a big deal here, and their current facility can't accommodate their huge program audiences, so the library takes over the local community center on performance days. So many grown-ups & kids of all ages, all looking for a good time--and I do think we had one! Adults after the fact were walking up & thanking me for a performance they could love, too.


I left Atascadero & headed directly up 101 to Paso Robles for my final pair of events.

Paso Robles City Library on the left, and the Library Study Center on the right. 

What an interesting experience I had this time at the Paso Robles City Library! Usually, it's the adults sitting in the back whom I have to drag into the interactive experience of my storytelling, but this time, it was the kids sitting up front on the floor who needed a little waking up! Fortunately for us all, the crowd in back carried the weight to start, and the whole group did get into the spirit of things! Some engines, some days, do take longer to start than others--take MINE, for instance! ;) 


After the performance, a woman came up with her daughter & said, "I think we saw you a long time ago!" I was thinking she must have meant back in October, when I performed at this library last. And then she said, "did you tell stories at the Livermore Library?" Why, yes, I did and DO!


My final performance of this SLO County visit was at the Paso Robles Library Study Center, with mostly older kids & a few grownups, with a lot of the eye-rolling, head-slapping, don't-stop,-tell-us-more-ing I love from this age group! After THIS session, at which the librarian had introduced me as being from San Francisco, one boy had a very important question for me: "do you like the Giants?" I was confused. Being a storyteller, I thought he was talking about, you know, GIANTS!

It was an honest mistake! 

Right after I finished, it was home again to the SF Bay Area, where of course I had to set an early alarm to get back to my regular library duties in Livermore & Menlo Park, plus all of the local school & library storytelling events I've got coming up. 


Well, that was a really fun trip. I enjoyed getting reacquainted with librarian friends in San Luis Obispo, Atascadero & Paso Robles, and sharing stories & silliness with some nice, big summer reading audiences. Will I be back to share more stories? I certainly hope so, and I'll look forward to the opportunity! I'll say what I said last time around: if you know of any places in the area you think should host an appearance--whether schools, libraries, museums, zoos or whatever--please let them know about me, let me know about them, and when it happens, let your friends know there is something slightly ridiculous happening on the Central Coast!

Storyteller John Weaver

For regular updates, connect with me on Facebook!

Check out the book: How to be a Storyteller: Essays and Advice on the Art of Storytelling (link HERE)!

Upcoming Events

Storytimes at the Livermore & Menlo Park Libraries are in brown; storytelling events are in red.  Keep checking in for updates!

_______________________________

REGULAR LIBRARY STORYTIME EVENTS:

MONDAYS (Livermore Public Library, Civic Center)

10:30am School-age "Dream Weaver" event

11:30 Infant Storytime

7pm Family Storytime

THURSDAYS (Menlo Park Library)

11:15 Toddler Storytime

2:15 Preschool Storytime

FRIDAYS (Livermore Public Library, Rincon)

10:30 School-age Storytime

_________________________________________________________

Monday, July 1

Livermore Public Library, Civic Center

10:30am School-age "Dream Weaver" event

11:30 Infant Storytime

7pm Pajamatime Family Storytime

Friday, July 5

Livermore Public Library, Rincon

10:30am School-age Storytime

Monday, July 8

Livermore Public Library, Civic Center

10:30am School-age "Dream Weaver" event

11:30 Infant Storytime

7pm Pajamatime Family Storytime

Wednesday, July 10

San Luis Obispo Library

995 Palm St.

Storytelling at 10:30am

Thursday, July 11

Atascadero Library at Colony Park Community Center

5599 Traffic Wy

Storytelling at 11am

Thursday, July 11

Paso Robles Library

1000 Spring Street

Storytelling at 1 & 3pm

Friday, July 12

Livermore Public Library, Rincon

10:30am School-age Storytime

Monday, July 15

Livermore Public Library, Civic Center

10:30am School-age "Dream Weaver" event

7pm Pajamatime Family Storytime

Wednesday, July 17

Fairfield Civic Center Library

1150 Kentucky Street

Storytelling at 3:30pm

Thursday, July 18

Menlo Park Library

11:15 Toddler Storytime
2:15 Preschool Storytime

Friday, July 19

Livermore Public Library, Rincon

10:30am School-age Storytime

Monday, July 22

Livermore Public Library, Civic Center

10:30am School-age "Dream Weaver" event

7pm Pajamatime Family Storytime

Thursday, July 25

Menlo Park Library

11:15 Toddler Storytime

2:15 Preschool Storytime

Friday, July 26

Livermore Public Library, Rincon

10:30am School-age Storytime

Saturday, July 27

SPECIAL EVENT: SLEEPOVER STORYTELLING

CHILDREN'S FAIRYLAND

Lake Merritt, Oakland

Contact park about their special sleepovers, which include puppet shows, rides, and other overnight fun!

Monday, July 29

Livermore Public Library, Civic Center

10:30am School-age "Dream Weaver" event

11:30 Infant Storytime

7pm Pajamatime Family Storytime

Wednesday, July 31

Cupertino Library

10800 Torre Ave.

Storytelling at 3pm

Thursday, August 1

Menlo Park Library

11:15 Toddler Storytime

2:15 Preschool Storytime

Friday, August 2

Livermore Public Library, Rincon

10:30am School-age Storytime

Monday, August 5

Livermore Public Library, Civic Center

10:30am School-age "Dream Weaver" event

7pm Pajamatime Family Storytime

Thursday, August 8

Menlo Park Library

11:15 Toddler Storytime

2:15 Preschool Storytime

Friday, August 9

Livermore Public Library, Rincon

10:30am School-age Storytime

Monday, August 12

Livermore Public Library, Civic Center

10:30am School-age "Dream Weaver" event

7pm Pajamatime Family Storytime

(FINAL CIVIC CENTER STORYTIMES FOR LIVERMORE SUMMER SESSION)

Thursday, August 15

Menlo Park Library

11:15 Toddler Storytime
2:15 Preschool Storytime

Friday, August 16

Livermore Public Library, Rincon

10:30am School-age Storytime

(FINAL STORYTIMES FOR LIVERMORE SUMMER SESSION)

Thursday, August 22

Menlo Park Library

11:15 Toddler Storytime
2:15 Preschool Storytime

Thursday, August 29

Menlo Park Library

11:15 Toddler Storytime
2:15 Preschool Storytime

Saturday, August 31
Sunday, September 1

CHILDREN'S FAIRYLAND

Lake Merritt, Oakland

Storytelling at 1:30pm & 2:30pm (different stories each time), weather-dependent.

Thursday,  September 5

Menlo Park Library

11:15 Toddler Storytime

2:15 Preschool Storytime

Saturday, October 19
Sunday, October 20

CHILDREN'S FAIRYLAND

Lake Merritt, Oakland

Storytelling at 1:30pm & 2:30pm (different stories each time), weather-dependent.

Saturday, December 7
Sunday, December 8

CHILDREN'S FAIRYLAND

Lake Merritt, Oakland

Storytelling at 1:30pm & 2:30pm (different stories each time), weather-dependent.

Other recent or upcoming events include storytelling & education for Walters Junior High, Tutor Time, Blacow Elementary, Acorn Learning Center, Children's Creative Learning Centers, Heads Up, Montevideo Elementary, Fremont Unified School District, Belmont Oaks Academy, Bright Horizons, & La Petite Academy.  Private events (for schools, etc.) do not show up in listings above.  For regular updates, connect with me on Facebook!

Storyteller John Weaver

Check out the new book: How to be a Storyteller: Essays and Advice on the Art of Storytelling (link HERE)!