The Alabama Tale Tellin’ Festival may be exactly what you’re are looking for if you have an urge to play a comb or a need to tickle your funny bone.

The Alabama Tale Telling Festival kicks off Friday at the Carneal ArtsRevive building with performances by Donald Davis — a former Methodist minister — Emmy Award-winning artist Bobby Norfolk and the Dill Picklers — a storytelling group and bluegrass band.

The festival begins at 5:30 p.m. with Swappin’ Ground, which gives local residents an opportunity to share their own stories before the main event at 7 p.m. The festival continues Saturday at the same time.

One-day tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children. Tickets for both nights are $20 for adults and $10 for children.

ArtsRevive executive director Martha Lockett said the event provides attendees with a chance to meet new faces and hear about far away places.

“It’s always a fun time,” Lockett said. “It not only an opportunity to hear interesting stories but also to meet new people and learn about places you may have never been before.”

Though ArtsRevive currently hosts the festival, it was founded in an alley on Water Avenue 35 years ago by Kathryn Tucker Windham. Since then, the festival has steadily grown, attracting people from as far away as Germany.

Windham and her group of friends came up with the idea at a kitchen table in Selma. Shortly after, they were telling tales in downtown on Market Day.

In honor of Windham, this year’s organizers are calling it the Kathryn Tucker Windham Tale Tellin’ Festival.

“Kathryn had a theory that everyone has the same story, but everyone has their own little unique twist,” Lockett said. “Through those stories people can understand each other.”

After tall tales and homespun humor end, each attendee will have a chance to play a unique instrument.

Lockett said attendees will place a piece of wax paper over a comb and blow to make a musical note. Playing the comb was also Windham’s idea, former festival chairwoman Edie Jones said.

“She went down to the public library and said we don’t need anything, just combs and wax paper,” Jones said. “People just had fun with it.”

The festival started a bit early this year. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, this year’s featured tale tellers traveled to local schools to tell their tales to local students and teachers in 18 different sessions.

Last year’s attendance was more than double the previous year. Lockett said organizers are hoping attract 250 attendees both nights.