2019 San Miguel Storytelling Festival

2019 San Miguel Storytelling Festival

The 2019 San Miguel International Storytelling Festival will end with three special events during the final week, drawing on international sources. These will include Stories in Spanish / Cuentos en Español, a solo performance by celebrated Irish storyteller Conor McAnally, and the best of San Miguel’s storytellers in the annual Showcase Finale.

Cuentos en español / Stories in Spanish

Following a successful Spanish language storytelling workshop in San Miguel led by storyteller and teacher Alonso Hernandez, the Storytelling Festival presents an evening of stories in Spanish at 5:00pm on Friday, September 27. Students of the workshop will join others, to share stories of fantasy and of their life adventures, for this free event in the Sala Literaria at Bellas Artes.

Eagle & Harp: The story of the San Patricio Battalion in the Mexican American War

A very special event has been added to the festival this year. On Tuesday, October 1, at 6:00pm, Irish performer Conor McAnally will present Eagle & Harp: The Story of the San Patricio Battalion in the Mexican-American War. The one man show about the famous Irish-led corps of soldiers who left the U.S. Army to fight on the side of Mexico will be at Hotel Posada de la Aldea, with 200 pesos admission at the door.



The San Patricio Battalion fought bravely, and are celebrated in song, story, film and book in Ireland and Mexico. They are honored as national heroes of Mexico. In San Miguel de Allende and many other cities and towns in Mexico, the San Patricio Battalion is remembered on St. Patrick’s Day with a parade. Within San Miguel’s Parroquia, the battalion is honored by a prominent statue of Saint Patrick, covered with milagros and photos of loved ones.  

Conor McAnally tells us he has always been a storyteller, and he brings to San Miguel the Irish tradition of the Seanachai – the storytellers who traveled Ireland passing on the news, stories, traditions, myths, legends and living history of the Irish people. He comes from an acting family, and has had a career as a radio and television journalist, then as TV host and Executive Producer, director and writer of television shows. His shows have won 24 major awards, including five British Academy Awards and five from the Royal Television Society. Conor is also a multi-camera music director for festivals like Austin City Limits in Texas, and splits his time between Austin and County Galway in Ireland, the original home of John Riley, the leader of the San Patricio Battalion. 

Storytelling Showcase Finale

From the beginning of the Storytelling Festival, the Showcase Finale has been the most popular storytelling event of the year. The Showcase presents the best stories that have been crafted and told throughout the festival events and workshops. Over six years of the festival’s history we have heard an incredible array of stories of adventures and daily comedies of life. Please join your storytelling friends in San Miguel as they share their special stories in the festive Storytelling Showcase Finale at the Angela Peralta Theatre on October 5 at 6:00pm. Reserved seat tickets for the Showcase, at 350 – 175 – 100 pesos, are available from Boleto City at Mercado Sano, or available online at boletocity.com

For more information visit the Facebook page for SMA Storytellers or email smastories@gmail.com

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SEP/29/2019 UPDATE:

Storytelling Finalists Announced, Get Your Tickets Now