Very good friend of The Baby! Kevin Smokler has got in touch to let us know that Fray Cafe will be running at SXSW for the twelfth consecutive year. It’s a fixed date in our diaries (truth be told we had it inked in before Kevin told us the details, it’s that much of an institution), so RSVP over on Facebook.

Over to Kevin:

Five minutes. One live microphone. Your stories.

Every year since 2000, attendees of SXSWi have gathered to tell stories. Before Twitter, before Facebook, before Blogs. Fray Cafe has been there before them all. This year, the legendary evening of true personal storytelling returns to Austin. The only ground rules: your story must be true, it must be about you, and it can’t be a plug for anything.

Here’s how it works: Anyone can attend. No badge required. You show up and listen. If you wish to tell a story, add your name to the sign up sheet. We get to as many as we can before 11. Past tales have included: Marriage Proposals, crimes committed, faces fallen flat upon and great triumphs of will. You know, that whole all of the human experience thing.

Does this sound like an evening well spent? Audiences for 12 years at SXSW have thought so. Join us. You’ll be glad you did.

We’ll be there – and I’ll be asking very nicely if I can tell another story. I’ve been behind that microphone every year since 2006 (BTW Kevin’s the only storyteller that’s managed every single Fray - word).

It goes something like this (long time Baby! fans, it’s okay to get something in your eye).