You won't believe what happened when "The Thousand Tales" met "Kirjakahvila"
While the spring dusk gently settled over the cobbled streets of Turku, a small crowd began gathering at Kirjakahvila, the city's beloved alternative café tucked in the historical old town.
There was no stage, no spotlight, and no ticket to get in. Just a modest mic, a few warm drinks, and an open-hearted audience. This was the latest edition of The Thousand Tales, a monthly open-mic storytelling event that is quietly cultivating a new sense of community through personal narrative.
Hosted in one of Turku’s most mythic and enduring venues, The Thousand Tales is not your average literary gathering. It doesn’t emphasize technique or polished prose. Instead, it encourages raw honesty, emotional resonance, and the courage to simply be heard.
The rules are few but meaningful: each story must be original or truthfully paraphrased, and told within five to seven minutes. The rest is left up to the brave souls who step forward.
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"The idea is to bring a sense of togetherness and support to people," one of the organizers explained. "Not so much to focus on literary techniques, but to give people a platform to express themselves — to talk about their own life, or even share something they’ve written."
explains Mohammad Kafami, one of the cofounders of "The Thousand Tales"
Laugh and tears, and all in between
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Some storytellers come prepared, notes in hand. Others speak from memory, guided only by emotion. Each tale — whether comedic or heartbreaking — is delivered into an atmosphere of deep respect and rapt attention.
The audience laughs, sometimes gets emotional, but always listens. And for those who don’t feel ready to share, that’s perfectly fine.
It’s this accessibility that makes The Thousand Tales a rare gem in Turku’s cultural landscape. There’s no pressure to perform, no judgment passed. It’s a space where seasoned storytellers and nervous first-timers are equally welcome.
Experience reviews
"I appreciated this sense of community," said Nikola, one of the attendees. "And in a sense, vulnerability. Like having a safe space to just talk about anything — and people just listening to you.", he adds.
Others echoed the sentiment, describing the event as "cute" and "emotionally rich," where strangers quickly feel like friends. "You get to learn something about people you don’t really know yet, and you get to share some emotionality with them."
For many, this environment is exactly what they’ve been seeking — not just a platform, but a place where sharing is healing and listening is its own kind of art.
"Some people have more experience telling stories", added another speaker. "They have more routines. And others, like me, are really inexperienced. But both are fine. Both are totally fine", explains Sharon, a Swiss who stopped by.
As the evening winds down and voices grow quieter, there’s a lingering feeling that something meaningful has happened — a connection made, a memory shared, a weight lifted. In a world increasingly filled with noise, The Thousand Tales offers a gentle reminder of the power of one good story told well.
