Event Details
Smithsonian Folklife Festival
When: June 25 - June 29 and July 2 - July 6; Open daily 11:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.; evening concerts on selected nights begin at 6:00 p.m.
Where: The National Mall, between 7th and 14th Streets, NW
Who: Open to the public; all ages
Fee: Free of charge
What: This year's festival has two themes: China: Tradition and the Art of Living, and Kenya: Mambo Poa.
The China program will feature seasonal festival traditions, emphasize the exuberance of public life, share the meaning and preparation of Chinese foodways, engage visitors in craft and performance workshops, and highlight the country’s cultural diversity.
The Kenya: Mambo Poa program will present the ways in which the people of Kenya are balancing protection of their valued cultural and natural heritage with the challenges and opportunities for change in the twenty-first century.
Festival visitors will be able to interact with exemplary craftspeople, learn about important fossil discoveries by taking part in a model dig site from the Great Rift Valley, run with Kenya’s Olympic athletes, dance to both traditional and contemporary music from many regions of the country, discover how Kenyans live among and work with some of the most magnificent wildlife on the continent, and experience Kenyan life in the United States.
Click here for more information on the 2014 Smithsonian Folklife Festival and a schedule of daily performances, demonstrations, and exhibitions.