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Upcoming Program

  • Four young people in long evening gowns stand on stage, each with an open book and a microphone placed in front of them.
    Aliyah American Horse (NE), Stephanie Pacheco (NY), Zoe Dorado (CA), and Shnayjaah Jeanty (FL) perform at the National Youth Poet Laureate Commencement in April 2024 at the Kennedy Center.
    Photo courtesy of the National Youth Poet Laureate Program
  • Looking Forward
    Youth and the Future of Culture
    July 2–7, 2025

Festival 101

  • The Smithsonian Folklife Festival, established in 1967, honors contemporary living cultural traditions and celebrates those who practice and sustain them. Produced annually by the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, the Festival has featured participants from all fifty states and more than a hundred countries.

    Our Festival takes place every summer on the National Mall, with free performances, workshops, demonstrations, and other activities. It is an educational, research-based presentation that features master artisans and other tradition bearers. We invite visitors to sing and dance along, try crafts and games, learn traditional recipes, ask questions, and take part in this unique cultural exchange.

Featured Video


Current Program

  • Curved exterior of the National Museum of the American Indian in DC, pale bricks glowing as if during sunrise.
  • Indigenous Voices of the Americas
    Celebrating the National Museum of the American Indian
    June 26–July 1, 2024

Support the Folklife Festival, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, sustainability projects, educational outreach, and more.

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