Arkansas State University-Beebe will host “Folklore Week: Tales After Dark,” Oct. 26-30, as part of the 2026–2027 Performing Arts Series. The sessions are free admission and open to the public. The presentations will be held in the Abington Library, located at 204 N. Palm Street on the Beebe campus.
Spend the week exploring ghost stories, legends, superstitions and traditions that have been passed down for generations. The event will feature presentations by folklorist Dr. Gregory Hansen and author Mindy Hudson-Campbell along with faculty who celebrate the rich storytelling traditions of Arkansas and the South. Throughout the week, students and community members can also participate in creative contests, special programs, and activities that celebrate the stories that continue to shape our culture.
On Monday, Oct. 26 at 10 a.m., “The Stories We Tell: The History and Mystery of Urban Legends” panel will be presented by ASU-Beebe faculty members Dr. Amber Bramlett, Korey Davis, Blake Bell, and Dr. Lisa Floryshak. Urban legends reflect the beliefs, fears, humor, and history of society. Join us for an interdisciplinary panel exploring the fascinating world of urban legends from historical, sociological, anthropological, and folkloric perspectives. The discussion will explore familiar legends along with the enduring appeal of collections such as Alvin Schwartz's “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.” The panel will also discuss local Arkansas and ASU-Beebe legends, including stories surrounding the Beebe Blackbirds, Princess Hall, and the Owen Center Theater.
Then, on Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 9 a.m., Dr. Gregory Hansen will present “History, Legends, and Ballads of Belle Gunness-Serial Killer.” Belle Gunness is one of the first known female serial killers. Within a span of seven years, various missing people's reports became associated with her farmstead. Suspicions developed, and tensions grew as authorities began to investigate reports of murder. When it became apparent that Gunness likely was associated with the violence, Gunness went missing and it was suspected she died in a house fire in 1908. Legends, stories, and ballads about Belle Gunness soon emerged, and she remains a figure of Indiana folklore and a subject of skits, plays, musicals, and creative writing.
On Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 10 a.m., ASU-Beebe faculty member Cindy Beck will present “Swallowed Gum, Batman Smells, and Bloody Mary: The Folklore We Didn’t Know We Knew.” How did we all “know” what happens when you swallow gum, that Batman smells, or what might happen if you said “Bloody Mary” into a mirror? This interactive, nostalgic session explores the strange beliefs, rituals, and legends we passed down and what they can teach us about how folklore is created, changed, and shared.
Then, on Thursday, Oct. 29 at 10 a.m., Mindy Campbell Hudson will present “Headless Horseman of Booger Holler and Other Dover Tales,” a book she published in 2016. Hudson taught English at Arkansas Tech University for nearly thirty years. The book explores the local stories of Dover, Arkansas, and the connections between the community’s unique legends and broader folklore traditions. From exciting local mysteries to the details of everyday life, “The Headless Horseman of Booger Holler and Other Dover Tales” is a collection of firsthand interviews that explores life in and around Dover. In this special presentation of her work, Mindy Campbell Hudson brings the Dover area to life through its legends, lore, and local stories.
On Friday, Oct. 30 at 10 a.m., Dr. Amber Bramlett will present “The Phantom Hitchhiker: One Story, Many Roads.” In this presentation, Bramlett will discuss the research of folklorist Jan Harold Brunvand and his influential book, “The Vanishing Hitchhiker: American Urban Legends & Their Meanings.” For over a century, the lore of the vanishing hitchhiker has traveled along roads across the country. As one of America's first and most famous urban legends, versions of this story blend superstition, oral tradition, local history, and the supernatural to create a truly terrifying tale. From its origins in the days of horse-drawn carriages to the modern-day retellings, Bramlett will discuss several haunting versions, including those that have emerged from Arkansas.
To view the entire 2026-2027 Performing Arts Series schedule or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.asub.edu/performing-arts/.
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