Buffalo Humanities Festival
Held annually in mid- to late-September, the Buffalo Humanities Festival is a multiday event organized in collaboration with WNY university partners Canisius, Daemen, Niagara, and Buffalo State; with the support of Humanities New York.
This “festival of ideas” brings together community members, grassroots organizations, local scholars, nationally-recognized speakers, and students to explore a different theme each year—tackling prescient topics such as Utopia (2020), Life (in the Age of Artificial Intelligence – 2022), Communities: Trust (2023), and Hauntings (2024).
At this FREE and OPEN-TO-THE-PUBLIC event, our goal is to bridge campuses with neighborhoods, connect academic researchers to community organizers, and span generation gaps—with a focus on the humanities as a collective conversation starter. Recent featured speakers include: Bill McKibben, Angie Thomas, Ibram X. Kendi, and Percival Everett.
Incorporate the festival into your Fall 2026 course!
Faculty are encouraged to integrate the festival theme and the work of journalist Juan González (Democracy Now) into their Fall 2026 syllabi, including bringing students to the festival! The Humanities Institute will facilitate group registrations and transportation for students. Please email huminst@buffalo.edu for information on bus transport from campus to the festival events and registering groups.
2026: BREAKING NEWS
The Buffalo Humanities Festival is presented by the University at Buffalo’s Humanities Institute in cooperation with Canisius University, Daemen University, Niagara University, and SUNY Buffalo State University, and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. The 2026 Buffalo Humanities Festival is made possible with support from the Hispanic Heritage Council of Western New York. Additional support provided by the University at Buffalo Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development and Humanities New York.