The Fife Folklore Conference officially began the summer of 1977. As a precursor to the FFC, USU hosted a summer short course "American Folk Arts and Folk Life Conference," 26-27 July 1968, directed by Austin Fife. As well, USU also hosted the Western Writers' Conference. In 1976-77, the Western Writer's Conference, as William A. "Bert" Wilson recalls "began to falter." Glenn Wilde, Assistant to the Dean of Humanities Arts, and Social Sciences for Extension at USU and director of the Western Writers' Conference, worked with Hal Cannon (Utah Arts Council's Folk Arts Program) and Dr. Patricia Gardner (USU English Department) to reshape the WWC into a folklore program. The Conference was renamed The Fife Folklore Conference in honor of Austin and Alta Fife. At about this same time, Glenn Wilde, Max Peterson (Director of USU Library) and Dean Hoover (College of HASS) were working to create at USU a folklore program and repository for the Fife's impressive fieldwork collection. (Working with Milton Abrams, USU Library Director, the Fife's fieldwork had been donated to the University in 1966.) At the first conference, Glenn Wilde spoke to BYU folklorist Bert Wilson about coming to USU to head up both the Folklore Program and the Folklore Archives. Bert Wilson did come to USU to direct the Folklore Program and Fife Folklore Archives, and with Hal Cannon and Barbara Lloyd, directed the Fife Conference. When Bert left USU, to return to BYU in 1985, Barre Toelken was hired to Direct the Program and Archives, and he and Barbara Lloyd carried on the Fife Folklore Conference tradition, until her departure from USU in 1996. Toelken and Randy Williams co-directed the Fife Conference, 1997-2001; Toelken and Star Coulbrooke, 2002; Jan Roush and Jeannie Thomas, 2003-2007. In 2008 the Fife Conference became a summer workshop. See Barbara Lloyd's essay "Lessons of Summer: The Fife Folklore Conference"" from Folklore in Utah: A History and Guide to Resources, David Stanley, ed. Note: Barbara Lloyd is also noted as Barbara Garrett and Barbara Walker throughout; the name is listed as noted on materials. When referenced, Lloyd is used.

Conference directors include:

1977: Patricia Gardner and Glen Wilde, with help from Hal Cannon

1978: William A. Wilson, with help from Hal Cannon, Patricia Gardner and Glenn Wilde

1979-1985: Barbara Lloyd and William A. Wilson, with help from Hal Cannon (1979-83, 1985) and Carol Edison (1984-85)

1986: Barbara Lloyd Barre Toelken

1987-1988: Carol Edison and Steve Siporin

1989-1996: Barbara Lloyd and Barre Toelken, with help from Randy Williams (1994-96)

1997-2001: Barre Toelken and Randy Williams

2002: Star Coulbrooke and Barre Toelken

2003-2007: Jan Roush and Jeannie Thomas

2008: Jeannie Thomas (workshop)

2009 to 2014: Lynne McNeill (workshop)

2015: Lisa Gabbert and Randy Williams, with Guha Shankar and Margaret Kruesi (Library of Congress Field School for Cultural Documentation)

The Fife Folklore Conference is a weeklong (Monday through Friday) workshop that brings together students and leading scholars in folklore and related fields from throughout the United States. In the early years of the conference, public folklorists Western State Folk Arts Coordinators) met concurrently at USU during the FFC and often one or more of the public folklorists would present at the conference. Through the years the conference format has evolved, but it always includes presentations, lectures and demonstrations on current trends in folklore by conference faculty and student participation through discussions and, at times, hands-on activities. In 1981, the Fife Honor Lecture was added to conference offerings, giving a leading folklorist an opportunity to present new and pivotal work in folkloristics. Beginning in 2006, the Fife Honor Lecture was held in the spring, ahead of the workshop. From the beginning until 2003, brochures to advertise and document the conference were created. At times, graduate interns and/or fieldworkers helped with conference organization and worked to identify tradition bearers to participate at the conference. As well, on occasion exhibits highlighting conference themes were part of conference activities. By year (earliest to latest), conference themes, directors, interns/fieldworkers (when used), honor lecturers (when given), faculty, exhibits (when hosted), and brochure availability, and from 2008 workshop director/instructor include:

1977: Western American Folk Culture (transitional conference between the Western Writers' Conference and the FFC)

Conference Directors: Glenn Wilde and Pat Gardner, with help from Hal Cannon; Honor Lecture: no honor lecture; Faculty: Sam Agins, Austin Fife, Patricia Gardner, Wally Goddard, Hector Lee, A.J. Simmonds, Barre Toelken, William A. Wilson, with Hal Cannon, Tom Carter, and traditional artists

1978: Western American Folk Culture

Conference Directors: William A. Wilson, with help from Hal Cannon, Patricia Gardner, and Glenn Wilde; Honor Lecture: no honor lecture; Faculty: Jan Brunvand, Bruce R. Buckley, Hal Cannon, Wayland Hand, Hector Lee, Barre Toelken, Eliot Wigginton, William A. Wilson

1979: Western American Folk Culture

Conference Directors: Barbara Garrett and William A. Wilson, with help from Hal Cannon; Honor Lecture: no honor lecture; Faculty: Jan H. Brunvand, Sylvia Ann Grider, David J. Hufford, Suzi Jones, Barre Toelken, Roger L. Welsch, and folklife presenters, Fieldworker: Carolyn Rhodes-Jones, Wes Hardin, and Lorna Hardin

1980: Western American Folk Culture

Conference Directors: Barbara Lloyd and William A. Wilson, with help from Hal Cannon; Honor Lecture: no honor lecture; Faculty: Margaret Brady, Jan Brunvand, Larry Danielson, Henry Glassie, Carol Mitchell, Richard Poulsen, Barre Toelken, Roger Welsch, and folklife presenters; Fieldworker: Polly Stewart

1981: Western American Folk Culture

Conference Directors: Barbara Lloyd and William A. Wilson, with help from Hal Cannon; Fife Honor Lecture: Wayland Hand; Faculty: Louie Attebery, Tom Carter, Edward Ives, Richard Poulsen, Beverly Stoeltje, Barre Toelken, Roger Welsch, and Western State Folk Arts Coordinators

1982:

Conference Directors: Barbara Lloyd and William A. Wilson, with help from Hal Cannon and Elaine Thatcher; Fife Honor Lecture: Hector Lee; Faculty: Meg Brady, James S. Griffith, David Hufford, Pat Jasper, Michael Owen Jones, Patrick Mullen, Barre Toelken, and Western State Folk Arts Coordinators

1983:

Conference Directors: Barbara Lloyd and William A. Wilson, with help from Hal Cannon; Fife Honor Lecture: Lynwood Montell; Faculty: Barbara Allen, Jay Anderson, Jan Brunvand, Barre Toelken, Roger Welsch, and panel presentation by folklorists who conducted a study of Carbon County, Utah

1984:

Conference Directors: Barbara Lloyd and William A. Wilson, with help from Carol Edison; Fife Honor Lecture: Roger Welsch; Faculty: Margaret Brady, Larry Danielson, Robert McCarl, Elliott Oring, John Vlach, Steve Siporin, Barre Toelken

1985:

Conference Directors: Barbara Lloyd, with help from Hal Cannon and Carol Edison; Honor Lecture: Barre Toelken; Faculty: Simon Bronner, Tom Carter, Carol Edison, Sylvia Ann Grider, James Griffith, Suzi Jones, Elliott Oring, William A. Wilson

1986:

Conference Directors: Barbara Lloyd and Barre Toelken; Fife Honor Lecture: William A. Wilson; Faculty: Vanessa Brown (Native American powwow traditions and Navajo beadwork), Jan Brunvand, Hal Cannon, Larry Danielson, Carol Edison, Elaine Eff, Joseph Hickerson, David Hufford, Lynn Martin, Twilo Scofield, Vern Shaffer (whittler), Steve Siporin, David Stanley, Elaine Thatcher

1987:

Conference Directors: Steve Siporin and Carol Edison; Fife Honor Lecture: Archie Green; Faculty: Jay Anderson, Jane Beck, Margaret K. Brady, Hal Cannon, Linda Geames (teacher workshop), Jens Lund, Robert McCarl, Elliott Oring, Twilo Scofield, Dave Sealander (performer), Barre Toelken

1988:

Conference Directors: Steve Siporin and Carol Edison; Fife Honor Lecture: Bess Lomax Hawes; Faculty: Margaret K. Brady, Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, James S. Griffith, David Hufford, Kathryn Johnson, Blanton Owen, Sharon R. Sherman, Barre Toelken, Roger L. Welsch

1989:

Conference Directors: Barbara Lloyd and Barre Toelken, with help from Karen Krieger; Fife Honor Lecture: Alan Jabbour; Faculty: Barbara Allen, Jay Anderson, Margaret K. Brady, Jan Harold Brunvand, Hal Cannon, Bob Christiansen (cowboy poet), Don Kennington (cowboy poet), Tim Evans, Kathryn Johnson, Lynwood Montell, Jan Roush, Steve Siporin, Barre Toelken, William A. Wilson Roger L. Welsch, Steven J. Zeitlin, and state folk art coordinators

1990: A Gathering of Stories

Conference Directors: Barbara Lloyd and Barre Toelken; Fife Honor Lecture: Simon J. Ortiz (cancelled); Faculty: Jay Anderson, Margaret Brady, Carol Birch, Jan Harold Brunvand, Hal Cannon, Carol Edison, Robert S. McCarl, Jr., Joanne Mulcahy, Patrick B. Mullen, Jan Roush, Ona Siporin, Steve Siporin, Arthur Smith, Kay Stone, Barre Toelken, Cathryn Wellner, William A. Wilson, and state folk arts coordinators

1991: Folklore and the Supernatural

Conference Directors: Barbara Lloyd and Barre Toelken; Fife Honor Lecture: Elliott Oring; Faculty: Jay Anderson, Jan Harold Brunvand, Carol Edison, Sylvia Ann Grider, Annie Hatch, David J. Hufford, Karen Krieger, Timothy C. Lloyd, James M. McClenon, Ona Siporin, Steve Siporin, Barre Toelken, William A. Wilson, and state folk arts coordinators

1992: The Folklore of Food

Conference Directors: Barbara Lloyd and Barre Toelken; Fife Honor Lecture: Alan Dundes; Faculty: Jay Anderson, Jan Anderson, Charles Camp, Linda T. Humphrey, Theodore “Ted” Humphrey, Timothy C. Lloyd, Carol Loveland, Kathy Neustadt, Steve Siporin, Barre Toelken, and state folk arts coordinators

1993: Folklore and Cultural Diversity

Conference Directors: Barbara Lloyd and Barre Toelken; Fife Honor Lecture: Emory Sekaquaptewa, Hopi Elder and anthropologist; Faculty: Barry Jean Ancelet, Vanessa Brown (Native American traditions), Adrian H. Bustamante, Carol Edison, James Griffith, Maria Herrera Sobek, Barre Toelken, George Wasson, and state folk arts coordinators; Exhibit: “America’s Living Folk Traditions,” an exhibit of the National Heritage Fellows developed by the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico, displayed in USU’s Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art.

1994: Folklore and the Life Cycle

Conference Directors: Barbara Lloyd and Barre Toelken; Fife Honor Lecture: David J. Hufford; Faculty: Simon J. Bronner, Jan Brunvand, Carol Edison, Annie Hatch, Patrick B. Mullen, Beverly Robinson, Jan Roush, Shumway Family (Old-time Mormon Dance Music, evening performance), Ona Siporin, Steve Siporin, C.W. Sullivan III, Barre Toelken, William A. Wilson; Exhibit: Life cycle exhibit of photos and artifacts on display in the Merrill Library, Randy Williams, curator

1995: Folklore and Traditional Belief

Conference Directors: Barbara Lloyd and Barre Toelken; Folk Artist Coordinator: Randy Williams; Fife Honor Lecture: Wolfgang Mieder; Faculty: Richard Barson (water witch/dowser), Vanessa Brown (Navajo beadwork and powwow dancing), Jan Harold Brunvand, Richley Crapo, Bonnie Glass-Coffin, Indian Creek Singers (Navajo drum, evening performance with the Aldean and Wanda Ketchum and Vanessa Brown), Aldean Ketchum (Ute courting flutes), Wanda Ketchum (powwow dancing and regalia), Jan Roush, Steve Siporin, C.W. Sullivan III, Barre Toelken, Patricia A. Turner, William A. Wilson, Randy Williams

1996: Folk Medicine

Conference Directors: Barbara Lloyd and Barre Toelken; Folk Artist Coordinator: Randy Williams; Fife Honor Lecture: Patrick B. Mullen; Faculty: Erika Brady, Margaret K. Brady, Eva Castellanoz (curandera: Mexican American healer), Bonnie Glass-Coffin, David J. Hufford, Andrew Natonabah (Navajo singer/medicine man), Bonnie O’Connor, Ada Rigby (Western/Mormon medicinal gardener), Barre Toelken, Rosanna Walker (midwife/scholar)

1997: Folklore and the Traditional Arts

Conference Directors: Barre Toelken and Randy Williams; Fife Honor Lecture: Henry Glassie; Faculty: Rita Bankhead and the Salt Lake Afrikan American Dancers (African American dance, Rita Bankhead, director), Mary Holiday Black (Navajo basketmaker and National Heritage Award recipient), Vanessa Brown (Native American powwow dance and regalia: canceled due to death in family), Norma E. Cantú, Genoveva (Eva) Castellanoz (Mexican American paper and wax flower artist and National Heritage Award recipient), Chianing Cha (Hmong paj ntaub artist), Carol Edison, Agnes Gray (Navajo basketmaker), Max and Tami Godfrey (rawhide braiders), Anne F. Hatch, Marjorie Hunt, Norman Kennedy (Scottish ballad singer and weaver), Marsha MacDowell, Kou T. Mou (Hmong paj ntaub artist), Steve Siporin, Barre Toelken, Randy Williams, William A. Wilson; Exhibits: “Willow Stories: Utah Navajo Baskets,” Utah Arts Council Traveling Exhibit Program, Brigham City Museum (Carol Edison, curator of exhibit); “Helping Hands: Folk Arts from the Utah Arts Council’s Apprenticeship Program,” Utah Arts Council Traveling Exhibit Program, Merrill Library foyer, USU Campus (Annie Hatch exhibit curator and docent for Tuesday, 10 June gallery talk, Rose Milovich, USU exhibit curator/liaison)

1998: Folklore and the Sense of Place

Conference Directors: Barre Toelken and Randy Williams; Graduate Interns: Steve Hatcher, Valerie Young, Nora Zambreno; Fife Honor Lecture: Hal Cannon and Teresa Jordan; Faculty: Jan Anderson, Jay Anderson, Melanie Capener (Mormon/western quilter), Carol Edison, LaRue Hansen (Mormon/western quilter), H. Bert Jenson, Bruce King (rancher/cowboy poet), Lynwood Montell, Steve Siporin, Jeannie B. Thomas, Barre Toelken, William A. Wilson, Francisco Zamora (Mexican American charro/rope artist), Steven J. Zeitlin

1999: Folksong and Folk Music

Conference Directors: Barre Toelken and Randy Williams; Graduate Interns: Steven Hatcher, Robin Parent, Patrick Vrooman; Fife Honor Lecture: James Griffith; Faculty: The Anton Family Band (John and Helen Anton family: Lebanese American music and song), Vanessa Brown (Native American Powwow traditions), Anastacio and Elisa Castillo (Rio Bravo Duet: Mexican traditional music), Luisa Del Giudice, The KlezBros (David Asman, director: Jewish klezmer music), Craig Miller, Charlie Seemann, Joseph Wilson, Barre Toelken

2000: Folklore at the Millennium

Conference Directors: Barre Toelken and Randy Williams; Graduate Interns: Anna Maria Arnljots, Jon Lee, Lynne McNeill, Sarah Rudd; Fife Honor Lecture: Jan Harold Brunvand; Faculty: Eva Castellanoz (Mexican American paper and wax flower artist and National Heritage Award recipient), Elisa and Anastacio Castillo (Rio Bravo Duet, Mexican traditional music, evening performance), Norine Dresser, Diane Goldstein, Jo Radner, Colen Sweeten (Cowboy Poet), Jeannie Thomas, Barre Toelken, Toelken Family Singing (family and friends of Barre Toelken, singing traditional songs at the evening performance); Exhibit: “Different Hairs on the Same Dog,” Western Folklife Traveling Exhibit, Meg Glazer, curator, Rose Milovich, USU liaison

2001: Folklore of Celebration: 25th Anniversary

Conference Directors: Barre Toelken and Randy Williams; Graduate Interns: Jon Lee and Lynne McNeill; Fife Honor Lecture: Barbara Lloyd; Faculty: Paddy Bowman (teacher track), Vanessa Brown (Navajo kinaaldá traditions),Eva Castellanoz (Mexican American quinceañera traditions and National Heritage Award recipient) Carol Edison, Gabrielle Hamilton, Timothy Lloyd, Craig Miller, Pattie Richards and the Buckle Busters (Old-time Utah dance music, evening performance), Jack Santino, Steve Siporin, Bonnie Sunstein (teacher track), Jeannie B. Thomas, Barre Toelken, Randy Williams

2002: Folklore of Humor

Conference Directors: Barre Toelken and Star Coulbrooke; Graduate Interns: Matt Irwin and Lynne McNeill; Fife Honor Lecture: Margaret K. Brady; Faculty: Star Coulbrooke, Jim Kimball (“An Evening with Uncle Golden,” evening performance), James P. Leary, Elliott Oring, Cathy Preston, Jan Roush, Jeannie Thomas, Barre Toelken, Michael Ward, William A. Wilson

2003: Folklore and Identity

Conference Directors: Jan Roush and Jeannie Thomas; Fife Honor Lecture: Burt Feintuch; Faculty: Barbara Bogart, Sabina Magliocco, Jan Roush, Steve Siporin, Jeannie Thomas

2004: Folklore and Community

Conference Directors: Jan Roush and Jeannie Thomas; Fife Honor Lecture: Carl Lindahl; Faculty: Hal Cannon, Carl Lindahl, Margaret Mills, Steve Siporin, Margaret (Peggy) Yocom

2005: Folklore and Creativity

Conference Directors: Jan Roush and Jeannie Thomas; Fife Honor Lecture: David Stanley; Faculty: Lisa Gabbert, Nan McEntire, Mario Montano, Jan Roush, David Stanely, Jeannie Thomas, Barre Toelken

2006: Folklore

Conference Directors: Jan Roush and Jeannie Thomas; Fife Honor Lecture: Nick Spitzer; Faculty: Jan Roush, Jeannie Thomas

2007: Folklore and Groups

Conference Director: Jeannie Thomas; Workshop Keynote: Christine Wicker; Fife Honor Lecture: Trudier Harris; Faculty: Jeannie Thomas, Christine Wicker

2008: Life Stories

Workshop Director/Instructor: Jeannie Thomas; Workshop Keynote: Guha Shankar; Fife Honor Lecture: Peggy Seeger

2009: Rites of Passage

Workshop Director/Instructor: Lynne McNeill; Fife Honor Lecture: Polly Stewart

2010: Folklore and Animals

Workshop Director/Instructor: Lynne McNeill; Fife Honor Lecture: Jennifer Eastman Attebery; Guest lecturer: Ian Brodie

2011: Folklore and Medicine

Workshop Director/Instructor: Lynne McNeill; Fife Honor Lecture: John McDowell; Guest lecturers: Bonnie Glass-Coffin, Lisa Gabbert, Andrea Kitta

2012: Fairy Tales and Film

Workshop Director/Instructor: Lynne McNeill; Fife Honor Lecture: Haya Bar-Itzhak

2013: Vampires: From Folklore to Fandom

Workshop Director/Instructor: Lynne McNeill; Fife Honor Lecture: Shalom Sabar; Guest Speaker: Heather Joseph-Witham

2014: Rites of Passage

Workshop Director/Instructor: Lynne McNeill; Fife Honor Lecture: Peggy Bulger; Guest speakers: Rosa Thornley and Jodi McDavid

2015:

Fife Workshop: Library of Congress/Utah State University Field School for Cultural Documentation hosted: Directors: Lisa Gabbert and Randy Williams; Faculty: Lisa Gabbert, Margaret Kruesi, Guha Shankar, and Randy Williams; Fife Honor Lecture: Jill Terry Rudy

Fife Folklore Honor Lecture:

1981: Wayland D. Hand

1982: Hector Lee

1983: Lynwood Montell

1984: Roger Welsch

1985: Barre Toelken

1986: William A. Wilson

1987: Archive Green

1988: Bess Lomax Hawes

1989: Alan Jabbour

1991: Elliott Oring

1992: Alan Dundes

1993: Emory Sekaquaptewa

1994: David J. Hufford

1995: Wolfgang Mieder

1996: Patrick B. Mullen

1997: Henry Glassie

1998: Hal Cannon and Teresa Jordan

1999: James Griffith

2000: Jan Harold Brunvand

2001: Barbara Lloyd

2002: Margaret K. Brady

2003: Burt Feintuch

2004: Carl Lindahl

2005: David Stanley

2006: Nick Spitzer

2007: Trudier Harris

2008: Peggy Seeger

2009: Polly Stewart

2010: Jennifer Attebery

2011: John McDowell

2012: Haya Bar-Itzhak

2013: Shalom Sabar

2014: Peggy Bulger

2015: Jill Terry Rudy

2016: Jens Lunch