The founder of the nationally renowned Timpanogos Storytelling Festival returned home last year after three plus years being in Toronto, Canada, with her husband who was serving as an LDS mission president in the Canada Toronto West Mission.

"It was agonizing," she said.

But between serving their missionaries and celebrating two family weddings and the births of 10 grandchildren, Ashton, the wife of WordPerfect co-founder and Thanksgiving Point founder Alan Ashton, was kept plenty busy during her sabbatical.

"I missed the festival but the committee was wonderful. They sent me clips of the festival and little autographed recordings," she said. "I was anxious to be back."

In contrast to its humble beginnings in Ashton's backyard where 2,200 attended the first year, last year's festival drew nearly 27,000 from Utah and across the country. It was during her time away that the festival that showcases some of the most talented national and international tellers moved from Olmstead farther up Provo Canyon to its new home at Mt. Timpanogos Park.

"I'm praying the trees grow really fast," Ashton said.

Janet Low, a festival coordinator and Orem city liaison for the event, said Ashton has always set the course for the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival.

"She opens doors and keeps the purpose pure, clear and simple," she said. "She has nothing to gain from the festival. It's a purist act of service and love of story and what story does for the community, individuals and families ... So we love having her back."

Though the art form continues to grow in popularity thanks in part to the festival's emergence as America's second largest of the kind after the National Storytelling Festival in Tennessee, each year the three-day event's drama, humor, and humanity draws more new fans, she said.

"It's so fun to watch someone who's never been exposed to the festival coming for the very first time," Ashton said.

Among the professional national tellers highlighted at this year's festival are Rex Ellis, a former Smithsonian Institute chairman and the current vice president at Colonial Williamsburg, along with favorites Gay Ducey and Bill Harley.

Also featuring national tellers Victoria Burnett, Carmen Deedy, Kevin Kling, Motoko, Jay O'Callahan, Susan Reed, and Antonio Rocha , this year's storytellers may be the event's most diverse and talented group yet, Low said.

"What a presence in talent, depth and variety," she said.

Along with Storytelling Committee members, Low helps select lineups well in advance of the August festival and MidWinter Conference in February by traveling to hear tellers live and listening to their CDs.

"My kids are already asking when I'm in the car auditioning storytellers' CDs (I have a 10-year-old daughter and 14-year-old son) 'So which of the people on the CDs do we get to hear this summer?'," she said. "They hear a name and squeal with delight."

Though in the past the festival has mixed in Utah and Western region storytellers to complement the national tellers and get them exposure honing their craft, festival organizers have received an overwhelming number of auditions from tellers across the country that organizers had to make a change this year. Festival organizers have simply tried to pick the best tellers for audiences to enjoy, Low said. But not to leave out local tellers, a new Utah Tells segment including Utah tellers Cherie Davis and Emily and Wes Whitby has been created for Saturday's performances during the 12:30-1:30 p.m. lunch break.

"We want to help create stages and forums for Utah and regional tellers," Low said.

To enhance the summer storytelling experience, the festival also adds a full selection of local musicians, entertainment, puppeteers and restaurant food booths. Featured musicians this year include Joshua Creek, The Accords, Sassafras Folk String Band, Stevens Party, Fire on the Mountain, and many others.

The opening night event, "Look Who's Talking," features short performances by all guest performers on Thursday, Aug. 28, at 7 p.m. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. with music performances by Joshua Creek. Evening programs at the SCERA Outdoor Shell Theater include "My Favorite Stories," on Friday, Aug. 29, at 8 p.m., and "Laughin' Night," on Saturday, Aug. 30, at 8 p.m.

"People have forgotten how fun it is to listen to a really great story. Our lives our so full of media and that's exciting. [But] the wonderful, intimate form of entertainment in a story is so satisfying," Ashton said. "It's a form of entertainment that you paint a picture on the screen of your mind."