SMITHSONIAN FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL

One of the reasons many people travel to the National Capital Region in July is to experience the annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival which celebrates the various cultures and immigrants that make America great. The 2018 Smithsonian Folklife Festival will be held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and runs from June 27 to July 1, and again from July 4 to 8. The Festival is free of charge. Visitors should dress for hot and humid weather.  The theme of  this year's festival is exploring the history and diversity of the Armenian and Catalan cultures with a special tribute on July 8th to the Sisterfire music festivals that took place in DC from 1982-1988.  View the Festival schedule here.

General Information

Festival Dates: Daily from June 27 through July 1, and then daily, July 4 through July 8.

Festival Hours: Daytime performances, demonstrations, and other activities take place between 11:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. On June 27, the Festival will close early at 4 p.m. Evening concerts begin most nights at 6:30 p.m.

Getting to the Festival: Parking around the National Mall is extremely limited, so visitors are advised to use public transportation. Smithsonian is the closest Metro station to the Festival site. L’Enfant Plaza, National Archives, and Federal Triangle stations are within a half-mile. For assistance planning the best Metro routes, visitors can reference goDCgo.com.