Telling Tales Festival 2025
Burlington Public Library is excited to be part of the Telling Tales Festival in October—and we can’t wait to see you there!
Telling Tales is a huge children’s literary event held every year in Hamilton. This year, Hendrie Park in Royal Botanical Gardens is where all the action happens on Saturday, October 4 and Sunday, October 5.
The weekend festival features over 70 presentations by Canadian authors, illustrators, and storytellers, offering storytimes, music, theatrical performances, and workshops for book lovers of all ages, from babies to teens.
Now in its 17th year, Telling Tales always draws a big crowd, so be sure to register in advance to attend this FREE event to be part of the magic.
BPL’s Tales Under the Tent Puppet Shows
Step right up and join the fun at BPL's Big Tent in The Creativity Zone at Telling Tales. Our talented troupe of tale spinners is ready to whisk you away with puppet shows that’ll tickle your funny bone and send shivers down your spine. Join us for parachute play and silly songs—and try your skills playing one of the big games under the tent. Fun for the whole family awaits!
With puppet shows happening all weekend, there’s always a reason to stop by and say "hi"!
Our Puppet Shows run for 25 minutes:
- Saturday, October 4: Show starts at 10:30am, 1:30pm, and 2:30pm
- Sunday, October 5: Show starts at 10:30am, 1:30pm, and 2:30pm
And More Puppet Time Ahead!
Fun with puppets lives on at Burlington Public Library even after Telling Tales 2025 wraps up! Join us at 2pm for an hour of puppetry fun for the whole family. Create a puppet craft, explore the library's puppet family, and put on your own mini puppet show. Kids also have a chance to win a puppet! Children ages 5 and under must have an adult with them. No need to register. Please note: this is a hands-on discovery session, not a puppet performance.
Puppet Time @Central Branch - Saturday, October 18, 2-3pm
Puppet Time @New Appleby Branch - Saturday, October 25, 2-3pm
Telling Tales Books to Read
Check out books from our collection by some of the authors and illustrators you can meet in person at Telling Tales this year.
