About the Festival
At the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, experience living traditions from around the world. Our goal is to work with communities to strengthen and preserve their cultures and share them with you on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
The next Festival is
June 24–28 & July 1 –5, 2020
June 24–28 & July 1 –5, 2020
Upcoming Events
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August 8, 2019, 7 to 9 p.m.First Ladies to Anthology of BootyLost Origins Gallery
Join us for a discussion on the past, present, and future of women’s DJ collectives in D.C.
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August 10, 2019, 7 to 9 p.m.World Music Night: Jean-Francis Varre with SahelFort Dupont Park
Enjoy an evening concert in the park with the sounds of Senegal, Cape Verde, and Brazil.
Looking Ahead
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In the West African nation of Benin, these Zangbeto spirits protect communities from physical and spiritual danger.Photo by Rebecca FentonIn 2020, we will be back in full form as the Folklife Festival explores how diverse domains of cultural knowledge—from religion to design to science—shape the ways we understand, experience, and respond to ever-changing natural, social, and built environments.
Programs will include the Baltic countries, Benin, Brazil, Louisiana, and the United Arab Emirates. Alongside regional representations are the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon and Smithsonian Conservation Commons. A look at the rich history of American ginseng rounds out next year’s programming.
Festival Blog
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July 1, 2019An Introduction to Fa Divination of Benin
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June 29, 2019#DontMuteDC: An Oral History
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Past Programs
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2011 FestivalRhythm and Blues: Tell It Like It IsDrawing from the deep tributaries of African American expressive culture, rhythm and blues is an amalgam of jump blues, big band swing, gospel, boogie, and blues that developed during racial segregation, three wars, and the struggle for civil rights.
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2009 FestivalLas Américas: Music in Latino CultureThe final installment of the Festival’s Nuestra Música series featured Puerto Rican bomba, Mexican son, Colombian joropo, Dominican merengue típico, Venezuelan música llanera, Paraguayan polca, Salvadoran chanchona, and much more.
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2002 FestivalThe Silk RoadThe Silk Road was a vast network of trade routes whose flow of ideas, culture, music, and art spread from East Asia to the Mediterranean. This landmark Festival brought together diverse artists from across the Eurasian continent.
Support the Folklife Festival, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, sustainability projects, educational outreach, and more.
