Not many storytelling festivals have opening acts.

But the Pike Piddlers Storytelling Festival is not just any storytelling festival.

The Festival features four storytelling concerts and each one opens with a bang.

The sponsoring Brundidge Historical Society is the producer of “Come Home, It’s Suppertime,” an original folk life play that is a combination of stories and songs.

“When we decided to expand what we do in the area of folk life presentations to include storytelling, we just naturally thought we should have music,” said Lawrence Bowden, president of the BHS. “So, we decided to open each storytelling concert with music and songs by bluegrass/ gospel bands. The storytellers liked opening with music. They felt, as we did, that it set the tone for the telling of stories.”

Bowden said the setting for the Pike Piddlers Storytelling Festival is much like in years past when folks would gather on the front porch, play music and sing and then sit back and tell stories.

“That’s the atmosphere we hope we create for each of our storytelling events,” he said.

The bands that play for the Pike Piddlers Storytelling Festival are familiar to those who frequent the We Piddle Around Theater and the Peanut Butter Festival.

The Benton Brothers & Company will open the storytelling festival with their special band of bluegrass/gospel at the We Piddle Around Theater on Friday night and then will be featured at the 2 p.m. storytelling concert at the Trojan Center Theater on Saturday.

The Benton Brothers and Company is the house band at the We Piddle Around Theater.

“The Lighthouse String Ensemble is a Southern gospel group that has played at the theater and at the Peanut Butter Festival,” Bowden said. “They take center stage at the 10 a.m. storytelling concert at the Trojan Center Theater. The Lighthouse String Ensemble has been a featured band at the Pike Piddlers Storytelling Festival since we started in 2007.”

The WPA Scratch Band, the original house band at the We Piddle Around Theater, takes center stage for the closing storytelling concert at 6:30 p.m. concert.

“The band likes to call themselves the ‘Sympathy Band,’” Bowden said. “We are always proud to have them come back together to be with us.”

The bands begin playing 30 minutes prior to each storytelling concert, so ticket holders are encouraged to make plans to be at the Trojan Center Theater at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 and 6 p.m. to catch the 30-minute pre-shows.

“The bands alone are worth the price of admission,” Bowden said. “They bring people in early and get them in the mood for a great time of storytelling by master tellers.

Tickets for the 10 a.m. and 2 and 6:30 p.m. storytelling concerts at the Trojan Center Theater are available at The Messenger, the Colley Senior Complex or by calling 334-735-3125 or 334-685-5524.