Winnipeg Story Slam

A new year. A cold night. A fresh start.

Join us for first Winnipeg Story Slam event of the 2026 season!

This is where true stories take the stage under the theme "FIRST DRAFT"

A first draft isn’t meant to be perfect.
It’s the rough version. The brave beginning.
And sometimes — like a January draft — it’s the moment that hits you cold and wakes you up.

Come tell, come cheer, or just come feel something real.

Don’t miss your chance to be part of the new season of Winnipeg Story Slam.

This friendly competition is open-mic style and includes:

- 10 Storytellers chosen from a hat

- 5 minutes to tell a captivating true story

- 5 volunteer audience judges

- One cash prize for the winner

Stories can be funny, heartbreaking, surprising, or quietly powerful — as long as they’re true.

Come be part of building this storytelling community where stories - a moment in time - with a beginning, a middle, and an end, are shared!

Real Stories. Live Voices.

Event Details

📅 Wednesday, January 14, 2026
📍 Royal Albert Arms – 48 Albert St., Winnipeg
🕡 Doors open: 6:15 PM
🕖 Stories begin: 7:00 PM

🎟 Tickets:

• $10 cash at the door (venue is cash only)
• ATM available on site
• Or pre-purchase on Eventbrite

🎤 Want to tell a story?
Storyteller sign-up happens in person at the door. Spots are limited.

NOTE: Venue is CASH-ONLY. ATM on site. Limited food menu.

Website: www.winnipegstoryslam.com

RULES

• 5 minute story. After 5 minutes, there will be a penalty. After 7 minutes, there will be a sign signaling the end
• Sign up in person the evening of the event with the host table
• No props
• Story must be original, unpublished, true, and told in the first person.
• You can read from a script on paper, or device
• Names are drawn for order of storytelling.
• This is a lottery draw and there is no guarantee you will be able to tell your story if more than 10 people sign up. People are allowed to sign up from 6:15 pm to 7:00 pm
• No registrations are allowed after the show starts at 7:00 pm, even if there is less than 10 storytellers. This rule is to make it fair, as it is difficult to go first and later submissions mean the storytellers have an advantage
• There are 5 random audience judges. We pick them at the beginning of the evening
• Judges score 1 to 10, with one decimal point. The highest score and the lowest score are eliminated and the three middle numbers are added up. Judges give their scores after each storyteller
• Please note: this is a FRIENDLY competition! Everyone is volunteering!
• All proceeds go to the winner (after venue rental fee and any other expenses are covered. We are a not-for-profit event, run by volunteers)
• The highest score of the evening wins the pot
• Please remember this event is run by volunteers who love stories. There are no paid staff. All money for this event goes back into the storytelling community.