Upcoming Southeastern Regional Events

Alabama • Arkansas • Florida • Georgia • Kentucky • Louisiana • Mississippi • North Carolina • Puerto Rico • South Carolina • Tennessee • Virgin Islands • Virginia • West Virginia

CSA’s Southeastern Region holds events on a regular basis.

If you have an idea for an event, please contact our Programs and Events Coordinator, Colleen Callahan.

Contact Colleen Callahan

Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern Regions Symposium

The Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the Costume Society of America are hosting a symposium, First Amendment to the Costume Constitution: Freedom of Dress, at Shippensburg University in Shippensburg, PA, October 9-10, 2026. The symposium is in conjunction with its exhibit, Happy Birthday! America’s Milestone Celebrations from Lafayette to Today at the Fashion Archives & Museum.


See below for information about the call for proposals, highlights of the symposium, and hotel rooms.

  • Call for Proposals

    Proposals for both 20-minute presentations and works-in-progress 10-minute presentations will be accepted and may address any aspect of costume and appearance in the United States of America. 


    Submissions will be accepted electronically at the form found here until June 30. Only one abstract may be submitted per person. Presenters must be members of the Society and will be expected to pay the symposium registration fee.


    The abstract, including references, should be limited to 350 words and may include one jpeg image with a caption. Submit as a Word document, left-justified, paragraph indented, double-spaced, in Times New Roman size 12 font. Citations should be given in the Chicago Author-Date (in text citation) style. Put the image caption at the end of the abstract. It is limited to 50 additional words including permission to publish already obtained or evident through its open or public domain source. The image should be no more than 2” x 3”. Please indicate if the proposal is a regular 20-minute or an in-progress 10-minute one and to submit a 50 word biography. Students will be asked for enrollment information.


    The administrator reserves the right to return abstracts that do not meet these requirements. 


    Notice of acceptance will be sent by August 2.


    For further information about the submission process, please contact Dr. Ann Wass at annbwass@aol.com.

  • Schedule

    Symposium Highlights: Friday afternoon will feature optional pre-conference activities, and Kristina Haugland will open the conference with her keynote address “Corsets at the Centennial: Showcasing Women Inventors, Dress Reform, and American Industry.” A reception will follow at the Fashion Archives and Museum for an exhibit viewing. Saturday will be dedicated to presentations, and a box lunch will be included with the registration. Head home on Sunday by way of the Apple Harvest Festival in Arendtsville and Biglerville and stock up on apples and all your favorite apple products. 

  • Hotel

    A block of rooms has been reserved at the Wyndham Hotel at 32 E. King St. for the nights of October 9 and 10. The conference rate is $79/night + tax, continental breakfast included. Parking is free. The hotel includes the University Grille restaurant, and there are other restaurants within walking distance. Click here to reserve your room. 

    Mini-Meetings

    Funding is available each year to support mini-meetings within the Region by providing monies required to publicize these events (up to $125 per meeting). Meetings can be designed around a local event such as a theatrical performance or museum exhibition and can be in partnership with an organization, an historic home, a museum, or a bordering CSA region. These smaller versions of the Region’s annual symposium are encouraged because they not only provide local CSA members with costume programming but also foster interest in costume topics among potential members.

    Contact Us

    For information or to propose a mini-meeting topic and location, please contact Colleen Callahan.

    Contact Tric Wesp