Once upon a time people shared stories and tales by physically gathering together in one central location. They gathered around fires, front porches and fishing ponds to tell their stories, laugh and enjoy one another’s company without “hashtags” on Twitter or “tags” on Facebook.

But for the past 34 years and counting, Arts Revive in Selma has tried to preserve the lasting art of oral story telling at their annual Tale-Telling festival.

“Kathryn Tucker Windham felt that people should share their stories and sit down and talk with each other,” Ann Thomas, chairman for the festival, said. “It is important because in the modern age of technology, sometimes we can lose that ability to communicate with each other.”

Thomas announced that this year’s festival on Oct. 12-13 would feature storytellers like The Dill Pickers, Dolores Hydock and Carmen Agra Deedy.

Hydock is from the Birmingham area and tells stories through singing, dancing and acting. She is a one-woman show that tells tales from medieval times, stories from the Alabama mountains and even Cajun tales from Louisiana.

“She performs to a number of different audiences,” Thomas said about Hydock. “She is just so well-known in the Birmingham area and has such a following… I think that people will want to come and hear her.”

Thomas said Deedy, another featured storyteller, is a well -known children’s author from Decatur, Ga. Deedy has a growing list of accomplishments such as being named the 2008 National Spokesperson for School Library Media Month and she has spoken before Pulitzer Prize winners, Nobel Laureates, major corporations and heads of state. Thomas said Deedy, “does a great job of spinning a tale,” and she thinks because of her background in children’s literature, she will be great storyteller for the whole family.

“My husband had never been before until last year and when he went he said, ‘This was just a wonderful feeling. People just really enjoyed being together and being a part of this event,’” Thomas said. “If people have never been they will want to come, and people who have been before — they will want to come back.”

The festival begins on Oct. 12 and 13 at 7 p.m. each night, but food concessions and the Swappin’ Ground will begin at 5:30 p.m. Swappin Ground allows for open mic story telling for anyone in the audience. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children. There is a special ticket price of $25 for purchasing two nights for adults and $15 for children. To get a complete list of events for the festival, visit www.artsrevive.com