Beyond the main performance-driven events, Lorefest also includes a one-day symposium on Saturday, October 31st, 2026, inviting discourse that brings together scholarly research and community interaction, focusing on folklore studies, creative expression, and collaborative opportunities for undergraduates, graduates, faculty, professionals, and anyone with an interest in folklore and the local cultures through which it communicates.

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This year’s themes are multilingualism, abstract and indirect cultural engagement, and Monster Theory related to folklore, but the conference is not limited to these themes alone. We’re especially interested in presentations that center around performance and practice-as-research, however, any relevant topic will be considered. Some suggested topics include:

African American Folklore
          Latinx Folklore
          Preservation of Folklore
          Folklore as Creative Inspiration
          Performance Ethnography
          Animal-themed Folklore
          Glocal Folklore
          University-themed Folklore (any university)