Smithsonian Folklife Festival

About

An open-air celebration of living cultural heritage on the National Mall — music, craft, cooking and conversation, free to wander, staged by the Smithsonian for a couple of weeks around late June and early July.

Highlights

• Open-air music, craft demonstrations and cooking on the Mall.
• A rotating theme spotlighting a culture, region or living tradition each year.
• Free to wander, with evening concerts and hands-on programming.

Practical tips

• Come for the early-evening cooler hours; midday on the open Mall is hot.
• Check the year's program in advance — the daily schedule varies by stage and tent.
• Pair a visit with the free Smithsonian museums lining the same stretch of the Mall.

Where it is