Stories from a small town...: Johnny Appleseed Festival

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Johnny Appleseed Festival

I took this photo last year at the Johnny Appleseed Festival.

This weekend marks the 40th anniversary of the Johnny Appleseed Festival in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It is a spectacular event for the entire family.

Here are a few of the activities...just a few: apple pie baking contest, battle of the bands, demonstrators' encampment, Settlers' pioneer village and country store, traders' market, living history area, farmers' market and so much more.

Johnny Appleseed, also known as John Chapman will be there meandering the grounds. I will be telling stories on the River Stage on Saturday at 2:00 and again on Sunday at 11:30.

This is a family event and admission is free. Come spend the day, take photos, eat apple dumplings, listen to the pipers, and enjoy welcoming Autumn back as northern Indiana celebrates the life of Johnny Appleseed.

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A nice little bio...

Lou Ann Homan is a writer, a teacher, a storyteller and a lover of small towns. Her enthusiasm for teaching has graced Indiana classrooms for over 30 years and has been twice awarded the prestigious Lilly Teacher Creativity Award. She is currently a professor at Trine University in the Humanities and Communication Department. In 20017 she was awarded the outstanding Adjunct Teacher award at Trine University.

Lou Ann is an award-winning columnist for KPC Media Group whose weekly column has appeared every Saturday morning for twelve years in newspapers in all four counties in northern Indiana. In 2014 Lou Ann received the Mayor’s Arts and Humanities Award.

Lou Ann’s storytelling skills have twice brought her the Frank Basile Emerging Stories Fellowship grant, and two commissioned pieces from Indiana Landmarks. She has told stories on many Fringe Festival stages throughout the Midwest and has carried her from the green hills of Ireland to China, and from Florida to Arizona. She has been on the roster of Arts for Learning for many years and was awarded the Anna Award in 2015 for her outstanding plan for program enhancement. Currently she is touring with her one-woman show of Mary Shelley, the author of "Frankenstein."

When not traveling Lou Ann can be found in her hometown of Angola, Indiana where she is a member of the Historic Preservation Commission and the Downtown Angola Coalition bringing arts to her hometown. She writes late into the night under a red frayed lamplight, gardens at the community gardens, celebrates and promotes cultural events, tell stories on the square and bikes her way around her small town!

She is delighted to bring you stories!

Recommended books by Lou Ann.

Sister by Rosamund Lupton

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

Loving Frank by Nancy Horan

This is a wonderful historical novel about Frank Lloyd Wright and his mistress, Mamah Cheney. I could not put the pick down. My book club gave it a four out of five!

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson

The Historian by Barbara Koslova

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Wall

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe

In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

A Sand Almanac by Aldo Leopold

Winter by Rick Bass

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain.

This is a wonderful historical fiction about Ernest Hemingway's first marriage. Could not put the book down!

The Red Garden by Alice Hoffman.

The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent.

Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks.

Storyteller's Journal

Dear Folks,

Welcome to my world of storytelling, writing, and as you can see, dreamer of dreams. My storytelling has taken me to all sorts of locations around the country and in a few other countries. I have shows suitable for all ages and interests.

I do programs for teachers, for poets, for students, and for all who love the sound of language and words. I also am a Fringe Festival artist!

I also am a faculty member of Trine University where I teach writing and speech. I am a columnist for our local paper, The Herald Republican. My columns appear on Saturday and have been featured for nine years!

I am a traveler, a hobo, a drifter, a gatherer of tales, and a one-woman show. Thanks for taking the time to take a look. I would love to talk with you, share emails and blogs or even share a cup of tea in my lovely old house. Above all, I would love to share stories with you.

Lou Ann

Storytelling in Schools

Murder Mystery Weekends

Research Projects for your town

Scary Stories for the Autumn

Summer reading programs

Anne Bonny and other women pirates

Winter Woolies

Keynoting for schools

Workshops for students and teachers

Square Dance calling

Writing workshops

Poetry and Haiku workshops

Writing and directing of shows (especially murder mystery shows for middle school, have several to choose from. This is a weeklong residency.)

Annie's Attic, also a weeklong residency for elementary students.

Fringe shows

Zumba classes (not quite ready for that one!)

Barn sitting

Bowling (Just kidding!)

You can also follow me on Facebook and email: Locketoftime@aol.com

I am looking forward to having conversations with you!

Lou Ann