Five Points South hosts the first Southside Storyteller Festival

The first-ever Southside Storyteller Festival – featuring local poets, writers and singer-songwriters -- was held in Five Points South in Birmingham on the afternoon of Saturday, Oct. 28.

The event, which offered free admission, was intended by the organizers – the Five Points Alliance, The J. Clyde and Orbit Salon – to celebrate the eclectic area’s creativity while also helping to mark its 130th anniversary.

“We thought it was a good way to celebrate the anniversary, and we wanted to come up with a creative way to do it,” Joe Babin, owner of Orbit Salon, told Iron City Ink.

“Southside is known for being creative, not trendy, and we wanted to keep it on that level,” Babin said.

The iconic Storyteller Fountain -- created by sculptor Frank Fleming -- sits smack in the middle of Five Points South and served as the literal and metaphoric center of the new festival.

Writers and poets performed throughout the event on an outdoor main stage erected just behind the fountain in front of Highlands United Methodist Church.

Several non-profit and arts groups set up information tables around the main stage area, including Real Life Poets, Sister City Connection Spoken Word Collective and the Ada Long Creative Writing Workshop.

“The fountain is the centerpiece when you think of Five Points, and we wanted to key off of that,” Babin said. “Why not focus on Storyteller and keep that creative side in Five Points?”

There were also performances at Little Italy, Delta Blues Hot Tamales, Mellow Mushroom and The J. Clyde.

Organizers encouraged attendees to dress up as their favorite story characters or make up characters of their own.

In addition to writers and storytellers, 10 local musicians competed in the Five Point Star singer-songwriter competition that was part of the festival.

The winner, Graham Harper, received a $500 cash prize, will be given the chance to record his song, Setting Sun, and will receive airtime on Birmingham Mountain Radio, according to Babin.

Harper, prior to his gig Saturday at Mellow Mushroom, said that he was a big supporter of the event.

“I think it’s something Birmingham has needed for a long time, and they should get started and keep rolling with it,” he said.

There is a lot of musical talent in the area that deserves more attention, according to Harper, a native of Waverly, Ala.,who has played in the Magic City for eight years and lived here for two.

“Birmingham has always been a city with incredible talent underground, and it’s always kind of lived in the shadows of Nashville... but Birmingham has always had its own flavor to bring to the table, and we’ve put out a lot of incredible artists,” he said. “I think its time we finally got something going to promote that and build out own scene back up again.”

Musician Calliope Pettis, who moved to Birmingham from Florida five years ago, sais that she believes the new event could have a major impact.

“I’ve seen so many positive, artistic changes in Birmingham since I’ve been here, and I think the festival can be a big part of that,” she said after finishing her set at Little Italy and heading to The J. Clyde for another one.