FESTA 2026 (Festival of Storytelling at Ala)

About The Event

The Ala Centre for Culture and Alternative Education is organizing FESTA 2026 (Festival of Storytelling at Ala), a two-day National Storytelling Festival, on April 11 & 12, 2026. With the idea that “ People do not live by bread alone; but also by the stories they share”, this storytelling festival being held for the first time in Kerala, had its welcome committee formation and logo launch on Saturday, 14 March 2026, at the Mulanthuruthy Grama Panchayat Hall. The fest will feature around forty live storytelling sessions, workshops, music performances and a giant puppet parade. Events will be held across three venues within the Ala campus as well as at the open stage of the Panchayat. Members of Ala’s storytelling collective, storytellers from various parts of Kerala and across India who are passionate about storytelling, along with notable personalities from Kerala who have excelled in different fields of life, will take part in the festival. These personalities will share stories from their own lives or experiences that have influenced them, making the fest even more distinctive! A major highlight of FESTA is the digital documentation of the stories presented, interviews with storytellers and audiences, workshops and music performances.This effort aims to create a lasting cultural resource that extends beyond the festival days, especially benefiting students. For two days, your child and the child in you can share their minds through words and listening at Ala. To participate in this two-day festival, Children under 5 years of age do not need a pass. The fee for children between 5 and 17 years of age is Rs. 400 and for those above 17 years of age is Rs. 600. For one day participation: Children Rs. 200 and adults Rs. 300. Arrangements will be made for those who require food and accommodation if they are notified in advance and paid for. Please send the screenshot to Ala’s phone number (9544113959) after paying the delegate fee to Ala’s account provided below or by scanning the QR code. At a time when mutual speaking and listening is decreasing due to reasons of our own and others, and the burden of that ‘lack’, especially on children, goes unrecognized, we see organizing such a storytelling festival as a cultural and political act. Therefore, we look forward to any support for this festival, which is being held for the first time in Kerala, with great respect. Please help us by sharing the details of the festa with like-minded friends, with gratitude, Team Ala🌿 Register 👇