Volunteers are critical to the success of the Festival and work closely with the Festival staff and participants. Volunteers contribute to a variety of duties, which include conducting surveys, assisting stage managers, audiovisual documentation of performances, and general administrative and production support. These are just a few of the opportunities available. Year after year, volunteers return to the Festival because it offers great fun, great people, and lots to learn.

In 2023, the Festival will take place June 29–July 4 and July 6–9. The registration system will open in the spring. The Smithsonian’s volunteer system, called Vsys, is now open for Festival sign-ups.

If you are a new volunteer:

1. Go to the Find Opportunities page on vol.si.edu.
2. In the Keywords field, enter “2023 Festival” and click “Search.”
3. Scroll down to see all available volunteer positions. Click “See Details and Apply” to see a short description of the opportunity.
4. When you find a position you want, click “Apply Now.”
5. Fill in your new user details to create an account and apply. When finished, click “Submit.”

1. Go to the homepage at vol.si.edu.
2. Type in your user ID (email address) and password to sign in.
3. Hover over the “Find Opportunities” tab and select “New Opportunities.”
4. In the Keywords field, enter “2023 Festival” and click “Search.”
5. Scroll down to see all available volunteer positions. Click “See Details and Apply” to see a short description of the opportunity.
6. When you find a position you want, click “Apply Now.”
7. Update your personal information and click “Submit.”

If you have questions about signing up, shifts, or tasks, contact the Volunteer Staff team at FestivalVolunteer@si.edu.

Want to stay in touch and be sure you know about volunteer opporunities in the future? Sign up for the mailing list below.