2026 Annual Meeting of the American Folklore Society

Description

Join us for the 138th annual meeting of the American Folklore Society in Asheville, North Carolina! The in-person part of the 138th Annual Meeting will be held at the Renaissance Asheville Downtown Hotel in Asheville, North Carolina from October 27–31, 2026. Mark your calendars to gather in the mountains of western North Carolina!

Registration provides access to the in-person part of the meeting and live-streamed sessions as well as  asynchronous digital posters and recorded presentations.

The theme of the conference is Community Persistence: Reckoning with Change, Imagining Futures.

Read the full theme statement.

Registration provides access to all annual meeting programs regardless of mode. The in-person part of the Society’s 138th Annual Meeting will be held at the Renaissance Asheville Downtown Hotel. The in-person meeting will feature some live-streamed events and recordings after the fact, as well as asynchronous digital posters and recorded presentations.

See AFS News for updates and announcements about the annual meeting as they emerge.

We ask that all meeting attendees familiarize themselves with AFS Annual Meeting Policies.

Presenters must register by June 30 to remain on the AFS program. You can apply for financial assistance for registration or membership fees. On the other hand, if you can make a contribution now to help fund access to the annual meeting, thank you!

AFS Membership (optional)

Members: You should sign in before you register, so that your registration and receipt will be saved to your member profile. Please make sure in advance that you can successfully sign in, and if necessary, renew your membership. If not, allow time to contact AFS during business hours. 

Non-members: You don't have to join AFS to register for the meeting, but members enjoy a number of member benefits. For best results, if you decide to join first, wait for your membership confirmation email and sign in before starting your registration.

Accessibility

AFS strives to ensure that all meeting participants have equal opportunities to engage in and contribute to its Annual Meeting. AFS selects only ADA-compliant meeting venues. Presenters and attendees should contact us at annualmeeting@afsnet.org at least 60 days in advance of the event to request ADA-related accommodations that will support their full participation in the conference. 

Meeting privacy

Registration data: Registration is required to participate in any aspect of the annual meeting. At minimum, registration requires your name and email address; AFS will use this data to contact you with information about the annual meeting but will not share it unless you provide consent for the specific purposes described below. Your name and affiliation, if you provide it, may be printed on a name tag that you may collect at the annual meeting. Other contact information is optional; your mailing address makes it possible to include you in print mailings, and your location (state and country) helps us understand attendance patterns over time. See our Privacy Policy for more information about data privacy at AFS and on our website.

Meeting participation: Virtual sessions will be conducted using Zoom Meetings and recorded for on-demand access for a limited time after the live proceedings. By default, Zoom Meetings may display participants’ images and Zoom profile information. To ensure your privacy, you must control your own Zoom settings, or opt-out of participation in live virtual meetings altogether. 

You can find more information under “Recording of meeting events” in our Annual Meeting Policies.

Mail-In Form

If you prefer not to use online registration, ask us at annualmeeting@afsnet.org for a mail-in form. You may mail your registration form through June 30. 

Need help? Contact us at annualmeeting@afsnet.org.