A Blaze Of Story Tour Brings Community Storytelling To Essex County

A regional storytelling series celebrates heritage, memory, and local voices across five Ontario communities.

This summer, Windsor-based storytelling initiative Blaze of Story Studio is launching a captivating regional tour that brings community storytelling directly to the people. A Blaze of Story Tour 2025 will run from July 5 through July 19, visiting five communities across Essex County with live events that highlight local and regional storytellers.

The tour invites residents and visitors to gather in beloved local venues—from cafes to libraries to island spaces—for evenings of shared memory, personal history, and ancestral storytelling. Each stop will spotlight storytellers who speak to the heart of their communities, sharing narratives of resilience, culture, and connection.

Tour Schedule Highlights:

July 5 – Belle River (Café Amor): Amor Hernandez shares the origin story of the café that bears her name.
July 7 – Sandwich Town (John Muir Library): Open mic storytelling event open to the community.
July 10 – Amherstburg (River Bookshop): Storyteller Milo Johnson brings local reflections to life.
July 12 – Pelee Island: Series host Teajai Travis with special guest Rob Tymec shares tales inspired by the island and water.
July 19 – North Buxton: Renowned historian and storyteller Shannon Prince closes the tour with powerful accounts from one of Canada’s most important Black historical communities.

The tour is produced by Blaze of Story Studio, founded by Windsor’s inaugural Multicultural Community Storyteller, Teajai Travis.

“This tour is about keeping our collective memory alive,” says Travis. “We are honoring our ancestors, our neighbourhoods, and each other — one story at a time.”

All events are Pay What You Can, and open to the public.