About the Festival
At the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, experience living traditions from around the world. Our goal is to work with communities to strengthen and preserve their cultures and share them with you on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
The next Festival is
June 24–28 & July 1 –5, 2020
June 24–28 & July 1 –5, 2020
Upcoming Events
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November 15, 2019, 1 to 2 p.m.Lavash: An Expression of Armenian HeritageNational Museum of American History
Cookbook authors Kate Leahy, John Lee, and Ara Zada will demonstrate how to make this staple flatbread of Armenia and share stories from their fieldwork. After the demonstration, the authors will sign copies of their book, which will be available for purchase on site.
Looking Ahead
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In the West African nation of Benin, these Zangbeto spirits protect communities from physical and spiritual danger.Photo by Rebecca FentonIn 2020, we will be back in full form as the Folklife Festival explores how diverse domains of cultural knowledge—from religion to design to science—shape the ways we understand, experience, and respond to ever-changing natural, social, and built environments.
Programs will include Benin, Brazil, and the United Arab Emirates. Alongside regional representations are the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon and Smithsonian Conservation Commons.
Festival Blog
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November 6, 2019Asian and American Ginseng: A Plant’s Migration Around the World
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October 25, 2019The Sonic Landscape of Benin: Music from Smithsonian Folkways
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October 16, 2019The Spirit of D.C. Punk in the Words of Women Musicians
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September 11, 2019Dealing in Green Gold: The Ginseng Trade in West Virginia
Past Programs
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2011 FestivalColombia: The Nature of CultureVisitors journeyed through presentations of the rich bio-cultural diversity of Colombia and explored how Colombian cultural expressions are inextricably connected to their distinctive environments.
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1993 FestivalU.S.-Mexico BorderlandsBased on research in the rich and dynamic living culture of the border, the program provided a glimpse at its histories, diverse communities, local and regional identities, and its music, arts, crafts, healing practices, foodways, and narrative.
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1991 FestivalForest, Field and Sea: Folklife in IndonesiaCommunities from three provinces displayed some of the indigenous skills and traditional knowledge that have developed in environments outside the urban centers and fertile river valleys of the Indonesian heartland.
Support the Folklife Festival, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, sustainability projects, educational outreach, and more.
