The Conference will take place over five days (Monday, July 7th through Friday, July 11th) with morning plenary sessions followed by breakout sessions. The first day will feature four pre-conference seminars delivered by experts in different fields of humor research, as well as the Philosophy of Humor panel.
The Conference will include an opening reception, coffee breaks, the Conference dinner and comedy night.
Tentative conference schedule
July 6, 2025 (Sunday) Arrival in Kraków
July 7, 2025 (Monday) – pre-conference seminars (free for all registered participants) and the Philosophy of Humor panel. Arrival of most remaining participants
7 pm – Welcome reception
July 8, 2025 (Tuesday) – the first day of the conference
9:30-10:00 official opening of the conference, Presidential Address
10:00-11:30 Keynote lectures by Salvatore Attardo and Francisco Yus
12:13:30 parallel sessions
Lunch
15:00-16:30 parallel sessions
16:30 coffee break
17:00-18:30 parallel sessions
Dinner (not included)
July 9, 2025 (Wednesday) – the second day of the conference
9:30-11:00 Keynote lectures by Alberto Godioli and Andrew Bricker
11:30-13:30 parallel sessions
Lunch
15:00-16:30 parallel sessions
16:30 coffee break
17:00-18:30 parallel sessions
Dinner (not included)
20:00 Comedy night
July 10 (Thursday) – the third day of the conference
9:30-11:00 Keynote lectures by Gil Greengross and Sharon Lockyer
11:30-13:30 parallel sessions
Lunch
15:00-16:30 parallel sessions
16:30 coffee break
17:00-18:30 parallel sessions
19:00 conference dinner
July 11 (Friday) – the fourth day of the conference
9:30-11:30 ISHS Graduate Students Awards session
12:00-13:00 ISHS Business Meeting
July 12 (Saturday) Conference trip for the interested participants (not included)
July 12-13 Recommended summer weekend for participants in Kraków – booking a hotel in central Kraków is recommended for those who wish to see the city numerous sights
Getting there
You can get to Krakow by plane, train or bus.
The venue is easily accessible from the airport by taxi (15 minutes ride at ca. 80-150 PLN).
From the city center you can get there by public transportation (tram and bus) or taxi.
Accommodation
IMPORTANT! – If you wish to stay on site in the Forest Hotel, please first fill in the submission form with your conference proposal. Conference presenters have priority in booking rooms there.
Located up on the Castle Hill in a charming corner of the Wolski Forest. The building greets you with its simple and sturdy forms characteristic of late modernism. They form a harmonious whole with the austere reinforced concrete and brick, completing the image of the facade.
60 hotel double/twin rooms
We have reserved the entire hotel for the ISHS conference participants and rooms will be assigned on the-first-come-first-served basis (double occupancy is recommended as a less expensive option). Those staying at Forest Hotel will have breakfast served there. Conference coffee breaks will be offered there every afternoon as well.
Saunas
As an extra perk, the participants can use the sauna area (part of the Forest Hotel), including a Finnish sauna, Infrared sauna and Graduation Tower (also known as a thorn house). There is also a relaxation area with comfortable deckchairs, and the microclimate here is similar to that of the sea.
Zinar Castle offers 31 rooms with a view, in a five-star standard, spa with massage rooms (planned opening in 2025), two-level restaurant with a cocktail bar, ballroom for 200 people with unique terraces and arcades with a breathtaking view of the panorama of Kraków, the Tatra Mountains and the Vistula River. It is located 100 meters from Forest Hotel where the conference will take place. The 4-night accommodation in Zinar Castle costs extra on top of the conference fee. Those choosing to stay at Zinar Castle Hotel will have breakfast served there.
ISHS conference participants can also have dinners there on the days where no evening events are planned (10% discount is offered).
Other accommodation possibilities
It is also possible to book rooms in neighbouring hotels:
Ekosamotnia – a cosy hotel with 8 rooms – the walking distance from the venue
Niebieski Art Hotel – a short bus ride away
If you book there, you need to pay the conference fee without accommodation.
If you decide to stay in Niebieski Art Hotel or other hotels in the city center, you will need to take a bus to the foot of the castle and walk up the hill for about 10-12 minutes.
Conference fees
The Conference early bird rates depend on whether the participants will decide to stay in one of the onsite hotels (please book early – along with the registration that starts on 20 January) or stay in the city center and commute to the Conference site by city tram/bus.
The fees range from $250 (student, no accommodation) to $750 (non-member, four-nights single room accommodation in the Forest Hotel). One extra night in the Forest Hotel costs $90. Zinar Castle is a spectacular accommodation option, definitely recommended for those who prefer comfort and lavishness (and are ready to pay extra for it).
The final detailed information on conference fees will be available before the registration starts.