This summer marks the 39th time we have had the honor of bringing together people from communities across the United States and around the world. The Festival has been called a magical event, because when we bring together so many exemplary practitioners of cultural and occupational traditions, amazing things can happen. In order to make your experience a memorable one, let me suggest some things we have learned over the years.

Talk to the participants. The Festival is quite different from other Smithsonian exhibitions in that the artists are here for you to meet. Whether they are Omani embroiderers, bomba and plena musicians, smokejumpers or