The Grand Trunk site will become a glowing display of lights and stories.
Trophy X Dream Weavers will feature 10 tents at the Trunk greenspace, with local residents and others sharing four-minute stories of transformational change.
Founding Director of Provocation Ideas Festival Mark Rosenfeld said guests can interact with storytellers and record their own stories on coloured sheets.
“When the next group comes through, they not only hear the storytelling but also can see what else is being discussed and other people’s stories,” said Rosenfeld.
“It’s a way to meet neighbours and others, and leaving feeling like you’re part of something larger.”
Rosenfeld said Trophy X is a ‘proof of concept’ for what the site could be.
“We can imagine the site as a creative commons, with pop-up performances, a makers market, and a Lanterns story corridor.
Rosenfeld said discussion about the future of the site has included affordable housing, cultural events, a public space, a library, and a YMCA.
He said the aim is to figure out how to build an engaging, community-based, open-air cultural site for events.
One of the storytellers is Heidi Sander, a local poet and writer, who is interested in the interactive nature of the event.
“In a world that is so digital-oriented right now, it’s important for us to have moments like this of actual, personal connection where we are sitting down face-to-face with people and having a conversation,” said Sander.
“I volunteer at Wellspring Cancer Centre in Stratford and as a writer I offer poetry workshops there, and with instructing there’s always a learning exchange between all the participants, and I was really touched by Steve Medhurst, a father with stage four cancer.”
She said she’ll be telling the story of how her and Steve’s stories met, describing his story as immense and urgent, while her story of loss was quieter but still real.
“In that meeting of our stories, I learned something about loss, connection, and the surprising reciprocity of storytelling,” said Sander.
The free, family-friendly event also includes a puppet table for kids, games, and chalk to draw.
It will run from Saturday and Sunday October 4/5.
