About the Festival

The Smithsonian Folklife Festival has been held annually on the National Mall, situated between the Washington Monument and the Capitolium since 1967. It showcases folk art and heritage in an open air setting. Hungary has been offered the honour of participating as a guest of honour in 2013, for the first time in the history of the festival. A event, which runs from 26 June to 7 July encompasses the most important national holiday in the United States: Independence Day, celebrated on 4 July. Thanks in part to this, the number of visitors is around one million each year and news of the program reach about 40 million people.

The festival organizers entice visitors with a broad range of offerings: some sections highlight traditional arts and crafts, other feature cooking demonstrations. The program is full of interactive opportunities targeting adults and kids alike, usually permitting participants to familiarize themselves with one of the many traditional folk crafts featured at the festival.

Dance programs showcase the richness of folk dances in invited countries, while the musical accompaniment to the dances and the concerts on the festival stage highlight folk music heritages.

The overarching goal of the program is to present and bring close the folk cultural heritage of invited countries to the American public, an undertaking much facilitated by the dynamic swirl and richness of the festival.

  • Festival Calendar
    Mo
    Tu
    We
    Th
    Fr
    Sa
    Su
    JUNE
    24
    25
    JULY
    1
    2
  • App

    Smithonian Institution

    Balassi Institute