Kendall, there'll be many timekeepers at the National Festival, and as long as everyone knows who's keeping the time it's generally respected. There'll be a venue for amateur and beginning storytellers, too, known as "The Swapping Ground" which consists of a circle of hay bales, a signup sheet, and someone keeping the stories under 5 minutes each. One of my twins spent a solid day there, eventually working up enough nerve to tell a story himself (he was about 10, I think). These days, I'd probably be prosecuted for my mothering style. I'd let my twins join the roving gang of local kids during the festival, only asking them to check in whenever a train went through (several times a day, that). They'd join me in a tent when they were following a particular teller, and of course, whenever they got hungry.

Anyway, if you've got too many storytellers, or they're planning something long, maybe a few haybales off to the side would ease the problem. If they're successful, the audience will collect itself.