Lecture: Florida Lore with Dr. Caren Neile

Saturday, July 26, 2025 at 3:00 pm
Leonhardt Auditorium
Free with museum admission.

From the Ashley Gang to the Devil’s Millhopper and the Ghost of Bellamy Bridge, Florida folk culture is brimming with fascinating characters and situations almost too amazing to be true. Join us on Saturday, July 26, in the Leonhardt Auditorium for a dynamic performance from Master Storyteller and Professor, Dr. Caren Neile, who will bring these legends to life, discuss their importance, and ponder whether it may matter or not if they are fact or fiction.
A treat for fans of history, folklore, and Southern storytelling, this presentation is based on Dr. Neile’s book Florida Lore: The Barefoot Mailman, Cowboy Bone Mizell, the Tallahassee Witch, and Other Tales. The program complements the VBMA exhibition A Tangled Plot by highlighting Florida’s own surreal and mythic narratives.

Funding for this Florida Talks program was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Registration includes museum admission. Register here: https://16485.blackbaudhosting.com/16485/Florida-Lore-with-Dr-Caren-Neile