Smithsonian Folklife Festival

Upcoming Events (8)

Free

Smithsonian Folklife Festival: National Heritage Fellows Program

Thu, 25 Jun 2026atAll day

A section of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival highlighting the National Heritage Fellows Program, presenting master folk artists as part of a year-round celebration of American heritage. An outdoor, family-friendly cultural festival on the Smithsonian grounds in Washington, D.C., with performances and demonstrations by leading folk-art practitioners. Free admission.

Free

Smithsonian Folklife Festival: Land in Native American Cultures

Thu, 25 Jun 2026atAll day

Explore Native American perspectives on land through performances, storytelling, and craft demonstrations at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. This cultural showcase spotlights Indigenous arts and daily life on the National Mall, offering live music, demonstrations, and interactive exhibits in a free, family-friendly setting.

Free

Roots of Virginia Culture: The Past is Present

Thu, 25 Jun 2026atAll day

Explore Virginia’s cultural roots at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival’s Roots of Virginia Culture: The Past is Present. This outdoor festival on the National Mall features live performances, crafts, and storytelling that bring history to life for visitors of all ages.

Free

Smithsonian Folklife Festival: Arts Endowment Folk Arts Program

Thu, 25 Jun 2026atAll day

Experience the Arts Endowment Folk Arts Program as part of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. The program features traditional crafts, live demonstrations, and performances by folk artists from diverse communities, celebrating living cultural heritage at the Smithsonian's iconic festival setting.

Free

Creativity and Resistance: Maroon Culture in the Americas

Thu, 25 Jun 2026atAll day

A Smithsonian Folklife Festival feature exploring Maroon communities across the Americas, showing how creativity acts as resistance and cultural identity. The program highlights histories, performances, and crafts that shaped diaspora networks, with scholars sharing insights and live demonstrations.

Free

Smithsonian Folklife Festival: African Diaspora Street Culture

Thu, 25 Jun 2026atAll day

Experience the Smithsonian Folklife Festival's African Diaspora Street Culture, a free outdoor showcase on the National Mall featuring street traditions from the African diaspora, live performances, crafts, and cultural demonstrations. A family-friendly celebration of music, dance, storytelling, and community across the Smithsonian festival grounds.

Free

Old Ways in the New World (1976) – Smithsonian Folklife Festival

Thu, 25 Jun 2026atAll day

A retrospective segment of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival revisiting the 1976 program 'Old Ways in the New World.' This outdoor showcase highlights traditional arts, music, and crafts from across the Americas, presented on the Smithsonian stage to spark cross-cultural understanding.

Free

Smithsonian Folklife Festival: Tibetan Culture Beyond the Land of Snows

Thu, 25 Jun 2026atAll day

The Smithsonian Folklife Festival spotlights Tibetan culture beyond the land of snows, with performances, demonstrations, and exhibitions that reveal daily life, arts, and traditions. This outdoor, family-friendly program at the Smithsonian site invites visitors to explore Tibetan heritage within a global festival setting.