Folklorist Jeffrey Frazier will show slides and discuss Pennsylvania folktales as part of LHU's Pennsylvania Culture Festival.

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - On Thursday, April 15, Lock Haven University will host a Pennsylvania Culture Festival. This day-long celebration of Pennsylvania culture will include a variety of events showcasing Pennsylvania’s folklore, art, music, heritage, and environment. All events are free and open to the public.
From 12-1 p.m., Melissa Becker and Friends will present a concert of folk music on Russell Lawn. Professor Becker teaches in the LHU music department.
From 1-3 p.m. in the Parsons Union Building (PUB) #4, students will be reading creative works that reflect Pennsylvania's culture and heritage. Students from Professor Marjorie Maddox Hafer's Pennsylvania Authors class and from Professor Dana Washington's Creative Nonfiction class will be reading original narratives, essays, myths, folktales, and monologues that focus on Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania artist Jeremiah Johnson will exhibit works from his series "The Story of Job" in the PUB MultiPurpose Room from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. "The Story of Job" is the work of Johnson's alter ego, Job Johnson, a fictional/historical artist who lived in central Pennsylvania from 1860 to 1937. One central theme is the environmental history of central Pennsylvania, and Johnson is also fascinated with the folklore of this area, including ghost stories.
As part of Lock Haven University’s Pennsylvania Authors reading series and Pennsylvania Culture Festival, folklorist Jeffrey Frazier, author of the “Pennsylvania Fireside Tales” book series, will show slides and discuss folktales in his talk, “Pennsylvania Legends or Folktales: Fact or Fancy?” at 7:00 p.m. in the PUB MultiPurpose room.
Oral history, folktales and legends come together in “Pennsylvania Fireside Tales,” including Civil War tales, stories about the early hunting days in Pennsylvania, tales from Pennsylvania’s Indian era, and stories of lost treasures and moonshiners. The tales also include strange episodes involving ghosts, witches and other supernatural phenomena. Books will be available for purchase and signing. Questions from the audience are encouraged.
Further information about the author and the book, including a sample tale, is available at http://www.pafiresidetales.com/ For further information about LHU’s Pennsylvania Authors and UpWrite reading series, contact Marjorie Maddox Hafer at 570-484-2044 or mmaddoxh@lhup.edu
The Art of the Natural World Series will present "Recycle, Reuse, Renew." The show, which runs from April 6 to April 30, will be in the Bentley gallery, and hands-on activities will be in Bentley 5. This year's exhibition celebrates the connection between manmade and natural resources and our environment, and the positive impact an artist can have on the environment by using these resources wisely. This alternative approach to art will utilize components that are recycled, reused, or renewed. This show attracts visitors from surrounding communities and local school districts. Docent tours and "hands-on art" activities will be featured for scheduled school groups. For more information about showing your work, contact Professor Melinda Hodge at mhodge@lhup.edu If you are interested in bringing a school group, contact Assistant Professor Loretta Dickson at ldickson@lhup.edu
The Pennsylvania Culture Festival is sponsored by the LHU Environmental Focus Group. This committee is charged with promoting and supporting activities, experiences, and structures that encourage students, faculty, and staff to develop a stronger sense of place for Lock Haven University and central Pennsylvania. Such a sense of place involves a stewardship of natural resources (environmentalism), meaningful outdoor experiences, and appreciation for the heritage of the region. For further information about the Pennsylvania Culture Festival or the Environmental Focus Group, contact Professor Bob Myers at rmyers3@lhup.edu or 570-484-2236.