Canadian Thanksgiving Meets Jewish Sukkot
Resources for a Story Arts Harvest Festival
In keeping with the rhythms of Story Arts programming, we’ll take a break this week from the stories in the David Cycle of Aden’s Library so that I can introduce you to the elements of our annual Story Arts Harvest Festival.
Since Canadian Thanksgiving (on the second Monday in October) falls within days of the Jewish festival of Sukkot (aligned with the October full moon), we combine elements of both traditions for a unique cross-cultural festival that celebrates community, the earth, and the good gifts of God.
Feel free to borrow from the ideas to design an event suited to your own context. As the year unfolds I’ll keep adding resources should you wish to start Story Arts programming of your own.
Happy Thanksgiving and Chag Sukkot Sameach!
Story Arts Harvest Festival Elements
Note: Story Arts festivals are designed as all-ages events and require a timeframe of about one hour.
Build tents
A fort-building party is a celebration made in childhood heaven!
Divide participants into mixed-age groups and supplying each group with a folding table, chairs, a pile of sheets and blankets, a handful of safety pins and all beneath a hook in the ceiling (optional) with which to build their own, costumed-designed fort.
Story Arts participants gathered under a common tent.
