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  • 2023 Festival,

    Day Nine: Top Ten Photos

    July 8, 2023 | Daniel Zhang, Elisa Hough, Grace Bowie, Penny Benak | Comments

    Ukrainian dances, and mountain bike demos, and Sikh music, oh my!

    On the penultimate day of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, visitors celebrated with live music, crafts across traditions, and an Ozarks x Folkways concert. We opened the day with Morning on the Mall, a sensory-friendly program for families managed by Access Smithsonian, and we closed out the night with a Community Square Dance—and lots of fun events in between. Throughout the day, visitors tried their hands at Kazakh crafts, took in the sounds of the Ozarks, and got to see a traditional whole-hog butchering.

    How did you spend your Saturday at the Festival? Share your own photos on social media with #2023Folklife.

    Three women and one man sit in folding chairs in a half circle on grass. They are playing instruments like the fiddle, the upright bass, the banjo, and the acoustic guitar. A child puts his ear up to the body of the guitar as the man plays, and puts his fingers out to feel the vibration of the strings.
    Morning on the Mall visitors were treated to an acoustic performance from the Ozarks bluegrass band Sylamore Special. Now this is what it means to “feel” the music!
    Photo by Sonya Pencheva, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
    A young man holds a sewing circle up to his face, sticking out his tongue. A woman with her back to the camera does the same as a man and a woman look on, smiling.
    The Quilting Corner was the place to be during Morning on the Mall! Quilter Louise Sheridan showed visitors a great time with crafts, coloring, and other fun activities.
    Photo by Sonya Pencheva, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
    A man wearing bright colors twirls a large piece of circular fabric over his head, his skirt twirling alongside of it.
    Not for the lightheaded! Muhamad Ali twirled and twirled during this tanoura dance.
    Photo by Carys Owen, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
    A man leans over a table as he cuts through a large piece of meat.
    Holy cow...or should we say hog heaven! Josh Jansen demonstrated a traditional whole hog butchering at Festival Foodways.
    Photo by Grace Bowie, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
    A young man stands in front of a large woven sail, leaning against the body of a wooden boat.
    Visitors stopped by the Marshallese Crafts tent to see and partake in ongoing boatbuilding and weaving demonstrations.
    Photo by Carys Owen, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
    A woman stands in a bright, multicolored dress, speaking to visitors out of frame. Behind her is a wall with a grid of photos of different people, farms, and plants.
    Mia Jones, owner of Soul Fresh Farms, can show you how to grow your own microgreens. In the Teaching Garden, visitors could take home their very own growing kits.
    Photo by Carys Owen, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
    Five Ukrainian women and one Ukrainian man are seated on stools and chairs in a field of grass. They sit in a semi-circle, singing to a crowd of visitors.
    Ukrainian Village Voices’s songs soared, with bold harmonies bringing folk songs to life in a new way.
    Photo by Sonya Pencheva, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
    A Native American man plays a flute-like instrument into a microphone. To his right, a young girl plays a handheld drum-like instrument. To her right, a younger boy shakes a rattle-like instrument.
    This is not your average story time! Gene Tagaban incorporates instruments, puppets, and more into Native American stories. He might even ask you to step into the action alongside him...
    Photo by Sonya Pencheva, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
    A woman sits in a chair playing a guitar-like Kazakh instrument. She is wearing a red patterned dress and a red circular hat with fringe on the sides. In the foreground, another woman wearing a yellow headwrap and a yellow shirt works on a felted quilt.
    With music, crafts, and games, the Soul of Tengri pop-up program allows visitors to experience Kazakh heritage and creativity.
    Photo by Sonya Pencheva, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
    Two men perform on stage, one in gold jacket singing and playing mandolin. The other plays acoustic guitar.
    Go for gold! Mandolin player CJ Lewandowski may have won Best Dressed during the evening concert, representing his home in the Missouri Ozarks with the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys.
    Photo by Phillip R. Lee, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives

    Celebrate the final day of the Folklife Festival with us tomorrow on the National Mall! During the day, look forward to DJ Duane Powell’s Sunday Service, Rural African American Gospel Traditions, a Balinese Kecak Dance and then Community Sing, and much more. Stay for the last concert, Blues and Roots: Celebrating the Musicians of Playing for the Man at the Door.

    We’re expecting wet weather on Sunday, so be sure to check our online schedule before you head here in case the Festival moves indoors. Rain or shine, we hope to see you all tomorrow to close out the 2023 Festival!

    Penny Benak, Grace Bowie, Elisa Hough, and Daniel Zhang are the mighty media team for the Folklife Festival.

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