What is Campfire Stories?
A cozy, neighborly way to spend a Friday evening, for kids ages 4-104! Come settle in by the fire in a sweet private garden with your littles — we’ll have music and a storyteller, and then time for socializing and s’mores!
July Campfire Stories
What’s summer without s’mores and a story around the campfire?!
July Campfire Stories features Liz Woolford telling a timely trickster tale — The Emperor’s New Clothes!
The Emperor’s New Clothes tells of a greedy and boastful emperor who is swindled by two tricksters that claim to make beautiful clothes…….invisible to anyone who is not wise! Everyone at court pretends to admire the emperor’s new clothes until a brave young girl says what everyone else is thinking—the emperor isn’t wearing any underpants!
Our story will be accompanied by the musical whimsy of Thom Thornhill.
WHEN
Friday July 17th, 2026
House “doors” open at 6:30 pm
House "doors" close at 7 pm when the story starts.
Event ends by 8:30 pm
WHERE
Mariposa Grove Community Garden
828 59th St, Oakland, CA 94608
Or email us at info@pineconesandportals.com with the subject line “Low Cost Tickets” to inquire about availability of $5 tickets.
In the case we need to cancel the event day-of for weather or air quality conditions, we will notify ticket holders by email.
ACCESSIBILITY
The ground at the campfire story area is covered with wood chips; the pathway leading up to the story area is paved concrete.
Masks are welcome at the event and COVID testing before attending helps keep our community safe!
JUNE STORYTELLER
Liz Woolford (she/her) is a director, devisor, vocalist & theatre educator! She makes and facilitates otherworldly and boundless performance that invite kids and adults alike to remember that magic is all around us, if we just look hard enough. Liz is the Director of Theatre at Mid-Peninsula High School (go Dragons!) and is on the teaching staff at Contra Costa Civic Theatre. She is happiest when her performance work is staged in and with the world around us.
JUNE MUSICIAN
Thom Thornhill (they/them) is a performing artist and musician from Nashville, Tennessee. They moved to SF a few years ago and have been loving life in the Bay. You may catch them at a comedy show, historical reenactment, or a party some day. If you do, come say hi!
YOUR HOST: PENELOPE PINECONE
As Penelope Pinecone—Student of Story Magic—Jessica Ferris (she/her) guides each campfire with curiosity and playfulness, inviting guest storytellers, musicians, and young audiences to discover the magic tucked inside myths, folktales, and songs. A trained physical theater artist, playwright, and longtime arts educator, Jessica brings years of experience nurturing young imaginations, including leading youth education programs with the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival. She believes stories help us grow kinder, braver, and more connected to ourselves and one another. Through Penelope, she offers children not answers, but an invitation: to listen deeply, imagine boldly, and trust that the stories they carry matter too