Colombia is ready for the Festival, they were all welcomed by Mariana Garces de Minister of Culture at the National Museum in Bogota.

Ramiro Delgado, foodways specialist, gathers a group of cooks to plan dishes to present and to chat about ingredients needed. The key concept discussed was flexibility.

Jamming in the evening.

We all gathered together and each group presented what they were going to present at the Festival. Daniel Matapi introduces an Amazonian elder with his crafts.

A taste of joropo music and dancing.

Smithsonian Festival Curator, Olivia Cadaval, sent this news update from Bogotá on April 3-11:

"It has been very exciting to meet with all the Colombia Festival program participants who arrived in Bogotá on Sunday to get their passports and visas for the trip to Washington this summer. They traveled from six regions, or cultural ecosystems, and from the cities of Cali and Medellín. Guama drove his Willys Jeep from the coffee region so that the jeep could be readied to be shipped to Washington for the Festival. Participants are brimming with enthusiasm and were singing while they waited for passport approvals and jamming in the evenings. They have meals together and travel together to appointments and receptions, proudly wearing their green jackets with the Colombia Festival logo, which they received from the Ministry of Culture."

"Listening to them, I can already see many themes for Festival sessions. It was interesting listening to tagua artist Cesar Bonilla discuss recycling strategies with Hernando Jose Ruiz from Reciclarte. I joined a meeting with all the cooks, and everyone makes a type of arepa. The salsa and tango dancers have been cutting a caper or two and are eager to teach others."

The Festival feels like it has already begun!

Van Luong is the festival blogger for the 2011 Folklife Festival.