The United States is home to hundreds of small towns throughout the country, bursting with individual personality and deep-rooted traditions. To help celebrate the local characters who bring these towns to life, Atlas Obscura co-founder and creative director, Dylan Thuras, journeys across America to discover some of the country’s hidden wonders in newly launched GoUSA TV original series Small Town, Big Story.
Thuras, one of America’s greatest storytellers, showcases America’s weirdest and most wondrous small towns, from South Bristol in Maine, to Glover in Vermont and Ketchum in Idaho, enabling viewers to learn about the fascinating folklore, annual celebrations and unusual rites of passage.
Small Town, Big Story transports viewers to one of the only places on the planet to still harvest ice; travels to the depths of the forest to meet a thriving arts community producing theatrical performances using giant papier-mâché puppets to tackle complex and often politically-charged topics; and joins the annual sheep parade celebrations in a small desert-mountain town in the north-west.
In each episode, Thuras helps share the stories of these individuals, ranging from fifth generation sheep farmers to puppeteers, helping keep traditions alive and showcasing true American life outside the big cities. “Across America, there is an endless supply of interesting little towns and so many of them have something worth celebrating. From noteworthy histories and legends, we are dedicated to telling these stories.”
Small Town, Big America adds to GoUSA TV’s collection of off-the-beaten-track content, told from the perspectives of real people, featuring programmes which highlight and inspire authentic multicultural travel experiences across the United States.