2023 Smithsonian Folklife Festival

In 2023, 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.

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), and Futurisms.

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; and Connections to Land and Place.

June 29th - July 4th and July 6th - 9th. Hours are generally 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with evening concerts and special presentations starting 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.

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.