Gather ´Round, Kids

There is something about storytelling that is soothing to the soul. The oral tradition can take us back to childhood or subconsciously even further, to the ancient times before television and written words, when epic poems and age-old tales drew restless villagers around the campfire. The concept of coming closer to the warmth of a good yarn is the foundation of the Moth, a nonprofit storytelling organization that was founded in New York a decade ago. Local heroes will have their chance to entertain the villagers at the first Moth Story Tour, which will touch down at the SoBay Festival of the Arts in the Palmetto Bay Village Center. Tonight, guests can enjoy a cocktail hour to get their tongues loose and their ears cleared for a good story. Then erudite Big Apple raconteurs -- including satirist Andy Borowitz, author Jonathan Ames, and software developer cum popular storyteller Boris Timanovsky -- will regale the audience with tales of the city. Big man about town (and New Times alum) Jim DeFede will man up to the mike, as will local writer Ana Menendez.
Fri., Feb. 2, 7 p.m.