Valles Caldera Birthday Celebration This Weekend

 East Fork of the Jemez in the Valles Caldera from the air. Photo by Greg Kendell/ladailypost.com

VALLES CALDERA News:

JEMEZ SPRINGS–The Valles Caldera National Preserve will host the Jemez Valley Storytelling Jamboree 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., July 27 and 28 at the Valle Grande staging area located just inside the Preserve’s main entrance.

There is no admission charge to attend the jamboree, so bring your family and friends for a day of fun and entertainment by some of the area’s most talented storytellers.

The Jamboree will anchor the 2013 Preservation Act Celebration that will commemorate the creation of the preserve. Thirteen years ago on July 25, 2000 President Bill Clinton signed the Valles Caldera Preservation Act that created the Valles Caldera Trust and the preserve. The four day celebration begin Thursday, July 25 and runs through July 28.

Two-time Grammy Award winner Robert Mirabal is the headliner of more than a dozen storytellers who will tell their tales. Among the scheduled storytellers are actors, cowgirls, Native Americans, a rabbi, a doctor, a librarian, and a 10-year old.

“Stories are great teaching tools,” said Phaedra Greenwood, an award-winning writer. “They not only entertain, but help us make choices in the world.”

Storyteller and librarian Steven Plá believes that, “the magic of story helps people understand each other and the fascinating and diverse worldwide community.”

The Jamboree is sponsored by the Valles Caldera Trust, Jemez Valley Community Association, Storytellers of New Mexico, and National Storytelling Network.

The schedule for the jamboree and biographies for each storyteller can be found on the Preserve’s website at http://www.vallescaldera.gov/. In addition to the storytelling performances, there will be activities for kids and local vendors selling pottery, jewelry and food. The Preserve’s Gift Shop will be offering a ten percent discount on all clothing and hats in addition to items currently on sale.

Free self-guided hikes and discounted Magma to Magpie van tours will be included in the four day celebration. The gates are open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Parking will be limited, so please carpool.

For more information on available activities and programs at the Valles Caldera call 866-382-5537 or go to http://www.vallescaldera.gov/. Click on the calendar tab at the top of the page for a daily schedule of events. You can also follow the Preserve on Facebook and Twitter. Any volunteers interested in assisting with the event should contact Kimberly DeVall at kdevall@vallescaldera.gov.

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