SOMOS Presents the 28th Annual
TAOS STORYTELLING FESTIVAL
Saturday, October 10, 2026
With Lori Tapahonso, Michael Garcia, Kika Vargas & accompanied by “The Stray Ravens – Kim Treiber, Chipper Thompson & Conrad Cooper. The event includes a traditional Northern New Mexico dinner for all attendees.
Make your plans now to attend the 28th annual Taos Storytelling Festival, October in Taos, New Mexico. View schedule→
About
2026 marks the twenty-eighth anniversary of the Taos Storytelling Festival, sponsored by SOMOS. The inaugural festival in 1999, held in a tent in Kit Carson Park (now Red Willow Park) over three days, has evolved to a single day event at Talpa Community Center, and other venues. The festival typically includes a community storytelling event, a Story Swap, an adult storytelling workshop presented by the headliner storyteller. Over the years, some of our featured storytellers (who have come from all parts of the United States and the world) have included Bill Lepp, Joe Hayes, Carmen Agra Deedy, Dovie Thomason, Cisco Guevara, Sarah Malone, Liz Mangual, Bob Kanegis, Kevin Kling, Terry Allen, Jo Harvey Allen, Antonio Rocha, Jerry Faires, Kuniko Yamamoto, Elaine Muray, Laura Simms, Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, Andy Offutt Irwin, Two Worlds, a Native Theater & Performing Arts group, and Minton Sparks.
Lori Tazbah Tapahonso
Lori Tazbah Tapahonso (Diné/Acoma) is a storyteller, theater artist, and educator whose work centers Indigenous voice, memory, and place-based storytelling. Rooted in her cultural background as a Diné/Acoma Pueblo woman and in the layered histories and cultures of New Mexico, Lori’s storytelling brings forward narratives of land, community, and Indigenous cultures.
She has performed nationally in theater productions, educational touring performances, and film projects that bring Indigenous histories and contemporary experiences to audiences of all ages. Lori currently performs in Native Vision , a touring educational theater production with Living Voices, and collaborates on creative film and television projects that amplify Indigenous culture and language. Her stage work uses performance as a bridge between storytelling, education, and cultural connection.
Lori’s performance and educational programming includes storytelling performances; storytelling workshops for youth and adults; Indigenous cultural literacy and community engagement programming; speech and public speaking workshops; acting for theater workshops for K–12 students; and Native theater education and programming.
Workshop:
We Are All Storytellers
A Family Storytelling Workshop with Lori Tazbah Tapahonso
Storytelling is one of the oldest ways we connect, teach, and build community. In this interactive workshop, families will explore the role of storytelling in Indigenous traditions and discover how stories help strengthen voice, imagination, and belonging. Through conversation and a collaborative Storyweaving activity, participants will create a shared story together—one voice at a time—while celebrating the storyteller in all of us.
Michael Garcia
Michael ”Ya-Schay” Garcia is from the Pueblo of Tamaya (Santa Ana Pueblo). He found his calling as a language teacher for his people. Michael teaches his Keres language through the power and beauty of storytelling and song. Students learn about their identity, spiritual selves and how that connects them to the land, people, language, culture, and traditions. Michael is the creator of the podcast, “Life of a Dog on the Rez”; a place where he shares funny, cringe-worthy, and inspirational stories from his beloved Pueblo homelands and Turtle Island; stories that uplift the soul, provide us hope, and heal our spirits. He is also a traditional song composer, moccasin maker, traditional artist, and is instrumental in revitalizing the traditional game of Shinney stick, back into the Pueblos.
Kika Vargas
Kika Vargas is a local Taos, New Mexico writer and contributor known for participating in regional literary programs like the SOMOS Winter Writers Series and co-authoring the anthology Late Bloomers: The Movement: Literary Gems by Taos Boomers in Their Prime.
Musical accompaniment by The Stray Ravens – (Chipper Thompson, Kim Treiber, and Conrad Cooper)
Kim Treiber and Chipper Thompson have lived and contributed to the music scene in Taos for more than 30 years. The amazing Conrad Cooper (on upright bass) will be joining them!
HAVE QUESTIONS?
View media from last year’s event:
Taos Storytelling Festival 2025
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Open Tues-Sat 12pm-4pm 575.758.0081 108 Civic Plaza Drive
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 3225, Taos, NM 87571
THANK YOU TO OUR FUNDERS
SOMOS programs are made possible in part by these organizations: New Mexico Arts, a Division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, and by the National Endowment for the Arts • Taos Community Foundation • The McCune Foundation • The National Endowment For The Arts • The Virginia Wellington Cabot Foundation • Taos County Lodgers Tax • TaosNetLLC for high speed internet service • Lions Club • Milagro Rotary Club • New Mexico Humanities Council • Nusenda Foundation • Witter Bynner Foundation • Amazon Literary Partnership • Literary Emergency Fund
