Related Events & Exhibitions

In addition to daily performances and activities on the National Mall, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival recommends events and exhibitions relating to our programs at other Smithsonian museums and venues around Washington, D.C. All events are free unless otherwise noted.

Exhibitions

A large group of people pose in a skate park at night, seen through a fish eye lens. Many hold skateboards. — Shaw-lloween Jam 2024
Photo by Katelyn King @katelyn.clix

On view until August 16, 2025

The Invisible Skate Theory
Mason Exhibitions Arlington
3601 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia
masonexhibitions.org

Skateboarding has always existed on the fringe of cities, of systems, and tradition. The Invisible Skate Theory, curated by Folklife Festival skate coordinator Kat Salazar (aka Gato), explores the community built in these edges, creating new spaces and paying homage to those that paved the way. It highlights pivotal moments like the arrival of Bolivia’s all-female skate collective, Imilla Skate, to Washington, D.C., for the 2024 Folklife Festival.

Color illustration of the ornate Chinatown gate in D.C. in red, blue, green, and yellow. — Friendship Archway, Streetscape at Seventh and H Streets NW, 1985–86.
AEPA Architects Engineers PC

On view until November 30, 2025

Sightlines: Chinatown and Beyond
Smithsonian American Art Museum
apa.si.edu

Installed in a gallery overlooking G Street NW in D.C.’s historical Chinatown neighborhood, the Sightlines exhibition provides glimpses into the complexity and depth of Asian American connections to the city. The featured stories highlight examples of cultural production that interpret elements of Chinese, Korean, and Javanese heritage or express coalitional Asian American and BIPOC identities.

A mariachi plays guitar next to a deep blue lowrider car for a crowd gathered on the other side at sunset. — National Museum of American History

Opens October 2025

Corazón y vida: Lowrider Culture
National Museum of American History
americanhistory.si.edu

Lowriding culture combines artistic expression, technological innovations, and storytelling that reflects Mexican American and Chicano culture and identity. This vibrant, bilingual exhibition showcases this unique car-making tradition with photos, graphics, and two classic Chevy Impalas: “El Rey” and “Gypsy Rose.”

Past Events

Five young people pose in a V-formation on lowrider bicycles with tall handlebars in a city street.

Tuesday, June 3, 6:30–7:30 p.m. ET

Looking Forward: A Preview of the 2025 Smithsonian Folklife Festival
Smithsonian Folklife Festival (Zoom webinar)
eventbrite.com

Join us for a sneak peek of the 2025 Festival program, Youth and the Future of Culture. In this conversation, Festival director Sabrina Lynn Motley and curator Michelle Banks explore how young artists, musicians, entrepreneurs, activists, and craftspeople are sustaining cultural practices, innovating traditions, and driving change. Learn how the Festival continues to nurture the next generation of cultural practitioners as it transforms the National Mall into a dynamic third space where youth share their talents, exchange ideas, and envision the future. Registration is required to view the webinar.

Book cover with title: Smithsonian Asian Pacific American History, Art, and Culture in 101 Objects, Edited by Theodore S. Gonzalves.

Thursday, May 15, 7–9 p.m.

History As Mixtape: Theo Gonzalves and Jeff Chang on Asian American Experiences
National Museum of Asian Art
asia.si.edu

In the hands of writers Theo Gonzalves and Jeff Chang, history isn’t a closed book—it’s a living playlist, one where protest and poetry blend with pop hooks, family heirlooms echo with collective grief, forgotten voices are dropped back into the mix, and the mic gets passed to those often left off the record. Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage curator Sojin Kim moderates this lively discussion about the award-winning publication Smithsonian Asian Pacific American History, Art, and Culture in 101 Objects, and we invite you to consider the mixtape of your own history.

A small group of teens sits around a table with headphones and microophones, while an adult stands up and points to one of the students.

Saturday, May 10, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.

2025 Montgomery County Youth Media Festival
AFI Silver Theatre, Silver Spring, Maryland
youthmediamd.org

The Montgomery County Youth Media Festival, hosted by 2025 Folklife Festival participants Action Youth Media, celebrates the creativity and impact of young filmmakers and artists in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia. The festival brings together filmmakers and artists to showcase an incredible selection of short films, digital art, photography, and more. Through screenings and dialogue, the festival empowers youth voices and fosters connections in our community. Register for free.

Three people in a red fishing boat pulling up a gillnet.

Saturday, April 26–Sunday, April 27

Living Earth Festival
National Museum of the American Indian (D.C.)
americanindian.si.edu

Oversight of protecting the earth’s natural resources and expansive habitats and ecosystems are taken seriously by Indigenous communities throughout the world. Their efforts are focused on the well-being of their homelands through conservation and sustainable management of the elements of nature: air, fire, water, and earth. Learn how Native innovators and practitioners are using Indigenous knowledge to steward and sustain the environment.

A drummer performing on stage in a gold jacket in front of a fucshia and turquoise backdrop.

Thursday, April 3–Sunday, April 6

Words Beats & Life Festival 2025
Various venues in Washington, D.C.
wblinc.org

Immerse yourself in four days of electrifying hip-hop and jazz concerts, vibrant DJ parties, and captivating poetry events, including, Jazz & Blossoms, a premiere event of the National Cherry Blossom Festival with fun for the entire family.