Jun
27

Everything you ever wanted to know about the 2023 Smithsonian Folklife Festival

Don’t be afraid to ask!

View of SI Castle from the mall with Folklife Festival visitors in the foreground
2005 Smithsonian Folklife Festival: Forest Service. The Festival Grounds in late June provided allowed for a lovely view of the Smithsonian “Castle.”

What

2023 Smithsonian Folklife Festival

The time has come! This week, we welcome you to the National Mall in Washington, D.C., for the 2023 Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Join us in person or online June 29–July 4 and July 6–9. This guide will help you plan your trip or, if you’re unable to be in D.C., participate from afar.

When

Thursday, June 29 through Tuesday, July 4 and Thursday, July 6 through Sunday, July 9.

Hours are generally 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with evening concerts starting most days at 6 p.m. All events are free and open to the public. Evening concerts plus a selection of daytime programs will be livestreamed on YouTube.

Where

Signs for 2023 Folklife Festival on the Mall
Photo by Penny Benak, Smithsonian

The National Mall between 12th and 14th Streets

The Festival is located on the National Mall between 12th and 14th streets. The Smithsonian Metro station is at the east entrance. As parking is extremely limited, we encourage everyone to take public transportation or other alternative modes if you are able. When you arrive, stop by the Information Booth at the east end to pick up a schedule for the day and the Festival brochure⁠—or take a sneak peek at it online.

Map of National Mall showing 2023 Folklife Festival

Why

To celebrate culture of, by, and for the people!

This year, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival celebrates diverse American cultures through two programs: Creative Encounters: Living Religions in the U.S. and The Ozarks: Faces and Facets of a Region. As always, the Festival invites visitors to participate in music and dance performances, hands-on activities, craft workshops, conversations, and cooking and gardening demonstrations. See the full schedule and map.

Accessibility

ASL interpretation and real-time captioning will be provided for all evening events, both in person and virtually, and for select daytime events. Additional accessibility services may be provided by request.

We strive to maintain an inclusive environment for visitors of all abilities by offering various accessibility services, including assisted listening devices, ASL-interpretation, real-time captioning, and audio description. A limited number of cane-chairs and manual wheelchairs are available to borrow for use on the Festival grounds. A sensory guide and map are available online and at the Accessibility tent. On Saturday, July 8, the Festival will host “Morning on the Mall” for individuals with autism, sensory sensitivities, or other cognitive disabilities who may benefit from a more quiet, relaxed, and supported environment. Registration is required; sign up through Eventbrite

Featured Programs

This year, we celebrate diverse American cultures through two programs. Want to see all participants at a glance? Check out the complete list of artists.

Creative Encounters: Living Religions in the U.S.

Older woman in blue dress working at flower-bedecked altar
Ofelia Esparza is a sixth-generation Chicana altar-maker, renowned in East Los Angeles and around the world. Photo courtesy of Esparza family
hand-painted Ukrainina egg art
Ukrainian American artist Laryssa Czebiniak will teach the tradition of pysanky, intricately designed and dyed eggs. Photo courtesy of Laryssa Czebiniak

Creative Encounters: Living Religions in the U.S. explores how the country’s diverse religious traditions inspire a wellspring of creative encounters and expressions. Representatives of various religious and ethical traditions will share their skills and stories within five themes:

  • Makers of Faith (craft and placemaking)
  • Sound Religion (music and poetry)
  • Body and Spirit (dance and movement)
  • Kitchen Theology (foodways and plant knowledge)
  • Futurisms

The Ozarks: Faces and Facets of a Region

People sitting in folding chairs outside small clapboard building
An old-fashioned pie auction to benefit a century-old schoolhouse in rural Webster County, MO, is an example of Ozarker community-building events. Photo by Kaitlyn McConnell/Ozarks Alive
Dumplings with green sauce and blue flower petals
As the founder of Eating the Ozarks, Rachael West prepares foods from foraged ingredients, like these meringues with curly dock curd and bachelor button flowers. Photo by Rachael West

The Ozarks: Faces and Facets of a Region highlights the diverse population and cultural traditions of this North American region, which includes portions of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Illinois. The program is organized into four key themes:

  • Celebrations and Gatherings
  • Stories, Sounds, and Show Business
  • Migrations, Movements, and Pathways
  • Connections to Land and Place

Smithsonian Artisan Initiative Pop-Up

Women working on a traditional Kazakh felt design
Artisans from Kazakhstan will demonstrate traditional felt making during the second week, as part of a pop-up by the Smithsonian Artisan Initiative.

The second week of the Festival features a pop-up program by the Smithsonian Artisan Initiative, Soul of Tengri: Kazakh Traditions and Rituals. From July 6 to 9, eight artisans from Kazakhstan will demonstrate traditional embroidery, felting, weaving, wood carving, and musical-instrument making, as well as offer daily rituals and music performances.

The pop-up concludes with a fashion show at the National Museum of Asian Art on Tuesday, July 11, at 7:30 p.m.

Food and Drink

Composite photo of food items

Visit the Festival Kitchen and satellite concession stands for food and drinks inspired by the Ozarks and the country’s diverse spiritual traditions. You’ll find flavorful entrees and sides, tasty desserts, and summery beverages, including vegetarian- and kid-friendly options. See the full menu.

For those over 21, Ozark Beer Company offers a curated collection of craft brews that represent the region’s rich creative spirit, including the new, custom-brewed Olivias Folklife Pale Ale!

Marketplace

The physical Festival Marketplace is on hiatus this year, but we invite you to shop the online Marketplace, a partnership with the world’s largest online fair-trade retailer, NOVICA. This virtual shop is a natural extension of our work both on and off the National Mall, through which we honor the creativity, cultural heritage, and skills of artisans around the globe. This Festival season, take $10 off your next purchase over $30 using the code WorldArt at checkout. Offer expires July 31, 2023.

Online

Every day we are sharing profiles, photo essays, interviews, and video features on the Festival Blog. Follow us on social media for stories from behind the scenes and our favorite Festival moments:  

Smithsonian Folklife on Facebook  

@smithsonianfolklife on Instagram

@SmithsonianFolk on Twitter

Share you own moments with #2023Folklife

Schedule

Band of bluegrass musicians on stage
The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, formed in Springfield, MO, in 1972, perform an evening concert on July 4. Photo by Jim Mayfield

Band Po Ramblin Boys pose while sitting on couch

 

In a collaboration between the Ozarks program and Smithsonian Folkways, bluegrass band the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys perform on July 8. Photo by Amy Richmond

Older Black woman with microphone on stage

 

Afro-Cuban American musician Bobi Céspedes performed at the Folklife Festival in 2016 and returns for an evening concert on Friday, July 7. Photo by Joe Furgal, Smithsonian Institution

View the full schedule, and sort by program, category, and accessibility service. Daytime programming runs from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and evening concerts on the Ralph Rinzler Main Stage begin most days at 6 p.m.

Can’t make it to D.C.? Over the two weeks, twenty-nine events will be livestreamed, including the opening ceremony and most of the evening concerts. Find them on our website or watch and join the chat on YouTube.

For some air-conditioning and further exploring, be sure to visit the related exhibitions and events at other Smithsonian museums and partner organizations in the city.

Volunteering

Want to get involved? It’s not too late! Register online, or find the green Volunteer tent just north of the Rinzler Stage, and we’ll find a shift for you. We are still looking to fill slots in accessibility, documentation, the demonstration kitchen, sustainability efforts, and other areas.

The Festival thrives because of colleagues across the Institution. Thank you for your support. We look forward to seeing you and yours on the National Mall!

Sabrina Motley
Director, Smithsonian Folklife Festival

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Posted: 27 June 2023
About the Author:

Alex di Giovanni is primarily responsible for "other duties as assigned" in the Office of Communications and External Affairs. She has been with the Smithsonian since 2006 and plans to be interred in the Smithson crypt.