Stories in the Garden: Family Storytime featuring Visiting Storyteller Larissa Noto

Join us for a special Stories in the Garden, with visiting storyteller Larissa Noto of The Lovely Little Lotus & Kids Yoga Storytime.

Stories in the Garden takes place weekly on Saturdays at 11 am and 4 pm led by community gardener, musician, and artist Nia Watson, along with guest storytellers on select dates. This series focuses on food sovereignty, community, and the arts.

Over the course of Stories in the Garden programming, the MLK Garden in South Bethlehem will itself become a sort of “playhouse” for creativity inspired by Nellie’s playhouse in LUAG’s fall exhibition, Really Free: The Radical Art of Nellie Mae Rowe. This work will capture community stories through hands-on exploration, in which community members will assist with working in the garden as well as weave stories, images, and ideas into the garden beds.

Register in advance to receive updates and more information!

If you require assistance to fill out this form or prefer to share your registration information via email or phone, please email ejs421@lehigh.edu or call 610-758-6882. Questions, concerns, and any accessibility needs can also be directed to Elise at ejs421@lehigh.edu or call 610-758-6882.

Family Storytimes:
Saturdays, July 13-October 26, Drop-in 11 am-12 pm AND 4-5 pm
Each program includes a book reading related to our themes, engaging learning sessions about garden plants, and a hands-on activity that ties everything together.

Visiting Storyteller Sessions:

August 3, 11 am - Larissa Noto
August 17, 11 am - Veronica Moore
September 7, 11 am - Tatiana Moreno
September 14, 11 am - Katarah Jordan

Whether you're passionate about gardening, storytelling, or community building, Stories in the Garden offers something for everyone. Don’t miss this chance to explore the intersection of nature, art, and community in a beautiful garden setting.

This program was made possible in part by Southside Tomorrow, a 6-year revitalization program of Community Action Development Bethlehem and the City of Bethlehem, with support from Univest Bank & Trust Co., Embassy Bank for the Lehigh Valley, People’s Security Bank and Trust, PPL Electric Utilities, and Provident Bank.

Nia Watson, Song Poet & Educator
Nia has evolved into her art form over the last six years. Taking journal entries and transforming them into song poems inspired by life experiences. Influenced by nature, specifically birds, their flying patterns and songs. She creates other visuals as well when inspired.
Nia is also a yoga instructor offering diverse classes to the valley for the past decade. She has taught early childhood since 2009.  Currently, Nia is in the midst of learning to be a birth worker to support birthing beings themselves and those who are growing within them from conceiving to postpartum. Her classes and community offerings weave all the parts of herself together. Offering movement with a touch of playfulness and songs to soothe everyone present.
Nia has performed here in the Valley, Philadelphia Amsterdam and Rio de Janeiro. She hopes to keep learning and growing and sharing the lessons she learns along the way.

Larissa R. Noto, JD, ERYT-500, C-IAYT, is the owner and creator of The Lovely Little Lotus & Kids Yoga Storytime. Larissa has been practicing yoga, and meditation for 24 years, and teaching and training others in yoga, meditation and mindfulness for the past 9 years. She is a former secondary school teacher and lawyer, turned 800+ hour Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher & Yoga Therapist, Children's (RCYT) and Prenatal Yoga Teacher (RPYT). She “retired" from the law in 2019 and is now a teacher, trainer, author, speaker and content contributor with Childlight Education Company (NH), Mindful Child Initiative (PA), Prema Yoga Institute (NY), and Outside +/Yoga Journal. She is also the Director of Family Programming and Teacher Training at The Yoga Loft of Bethlehem. She serves on the Board of Boys and Girls Club of Allentown, JustinTimeFoundation, Muhlenberg College, International Kids Yoga Association and is also heavily involved with the Arts community in the Lehigh Valley. When she is not sharing her love of yoga (and reading) with others, she is a wife, mom of 3 boys, children’s book author, professor at PSU-Lehigh Valley and special needs advocate.