For over 100 years, American teenagers have participated in the cultural rite of prom. This summer, the Festival hosts its own Prom in the Park in collaboration with the Museum of Contemporary American Teenagers. Whether you want to relive your prom days from an earlier decade or you missed your prom, Prom in the Park has something for you.

The mission of Stax Music Academy is to inspire young people and enhance their performance and leadership skills through music, focusing on the rich legacy of Stax Records. Stax provides music training in popular genres such as blues, gospel, rock ’n’ roll, and R&B as well as music adjacent career skills ensuring students can produce their own music and create their own musical paths. Enjoy classics from the Stax Records catalog performed by the academy’s top musicians in training.

This event will happen in-person, live on the National Mall, during the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on July 2-7, 2025. It will be livestreamed for online audiences and remain archived on our YouTube channel and website.