Mission Statement/Purpose of organization: 
The Cracker Storytelling Festival promotes the art of storytelling in Florida by engaging people of all ages to preserve and perpetuate the oral tradition of storytelling and their heritage. 

The goals of the Cracker Storytelling Festival are: 
-To provide an opportunity for intergenerational, multi-cultural interaction through story for both children and adults actively participating in the ancient art of storytelling 
-To foster the pursuit of family literacy, literature, and appreciation of storytelling as an oral tradition and performing art 
-To allow individuals and cultures to sense the value of story and its sharing through entertainment for story listening with exposure to nationally renowned, regional, and      local storytellers 
-To give children a sense of value and self-worth through storytelling and bring back our heritage 
  through the oral tradition, the recognition of heritage sites, and history. 
-The festival objectives are: 
-To renew and promote the art of storytelling for children and adults 
-To introduce some of the best stories in the oral tradition 
-To develop self confidence and public speaking in our children 
-To develop diversity within our community 
-To provide training in the art of storytelling 

Summary of agency and services: 
    Founded in 1989 by Annette Bruce, Chuck Larkin and Jamie Green, the festival was known as the Spirit of the Suwannee Harvest Storytelling Festival, and was held near Live Oak, Florida. It became known as the Cracker Storytelling Festival during the years 1991-1994 and was held at the Pioneer Settlement in Barberville, Florida. In 1995, it was relocated to Homeland Heritage Park, Homeland, Florida, which it now calls its permanent home. From 1989 through 1999, the festival was organized and run by a group of southeast regional storytellers. In 2000, the members of the Board of Directors resigned and a new Board took the reins. The new Board consists of employees of the Polk County School Board, the Polk County Parks and Recreation Department, the Polk County Library Cooperative, the Greater Bartow Chamber of Commerce, and local area community business leaders.