Can You Spot A Lie?

Outrageous tall tales, quick wit, and belly laughs fill the June Bug Center on Saturday, November 15, 2025, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m., when Southwest Virginia’s best storytellers take the stage for the Tellabration! Liars Contest. Admission is free.

👉 “It’s the funniest way to be lied to!”

Ten brave contestants will spin their wildest whoppers, hoping the audience buys every word, while a panel of judges decides who digs deepest for the Golden Shovel Award and cash prizes.

“Liars contests are popping up across the country,” said Clint Atwater, founder of Storytelling Connections, LLC and producer of the Let Me Tell Ya! storytelling series. “The audience never knows—are the tellers stretching the truth, or just flat-out lying? That’s what makes it so much fun.”

A Look Back at 2024

Last year’s top prize went to Paul Armstrong of Chatham, VA, whose story “Lessons Learned on the Farm” delighted both judges and audience.
“Storytelling is life shared,” Armstrong said. “We get to know one another through stories.”

An audience member recalled, “I haven’t laughed that hard in years! Every story kept me guessing—truth or lie?”

Atwater added, “The theater was packed, with folks driving more than an hour to attend. We’re thrilled to bring the contest back for a second year.”

Contest Details

Entry Fee: $10 (open to all ages)
Registration: Limited to 10 contestants, registration required at https://tinyurl.com/3ca294aw
Prizes: $100 (First Place), $50 (Second Place), $25 (Third Place)
Golden Shovel Award: Symbolic recognition of storytelling mastery
The contest is supported by The June Bug Center and Blue Ridge Story Space.

The Liars Contest is part of Tellabration!™, a worldwide celebration of storytelling organized by the National Storytelling Network, connecting audiences everywhere with the art of the spoken word.

“As a bonus,” Atwater said, “folks can enjoy the town of Floyd—renowned for its music, arts, hospitality, local foods and wines, and outdoor recreation.”