Visitor Information

The Festival is held outdoors on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., between 7th and 14th Streets, near the Smithsonian museums. There is no admission charge. Visitors should dress for hot and humid weather. Parking around the Mall is extremely limited, so visitors are advised to use Metrorail. The Smithsonian station (Mall exit) is at the Festival site. Federal Triangle and National Archives stations are close by. During the Festival, call 202.633.7484 to hear a recorded description of daily events. For general Smithsonian visitor information, call 202.633.1000 (voice) or 202.357.1729 (TTY).

Festival Sales

Visitors may purchase program-related lunches, snacks, and dinners from Festival food concessions. Food is also available in the museums and at GSI kiosks. Visitors may also buy a variety of objects produced by Festival artisans and a selection of relevant books and recordings at the Festival Marketplace, which is next to the Freer Gallery of Art. Smithsonian Folkways recordings are available there and through www.folkways.si.edu.

Services for Visitors with Disabilities

Large-print and audiocassette versions of the daily schedule and an audiocassette version of the program book are available at the Festival Information kiosks and the Volunteer tent. The program book is available in other formats upon request. A limited number of wheelchairs are available for loan at the Volunteer tent. Audio loops are installed at the music stages. Service animals are welcome. American Sign Language interpreters are available on site; the Festival schedule indicates which performances and presentations are interpreted. The Smithsonian will offer a verbal-description tour of the Festival on Thursday, June 28, at 11:00 a.m., for visitors who are blind or have low vision; contact ziebarth@si.edu for reservations. Other modes of interpretation may be provided if a request is made a week in advance by calling (202) 633-4353 (TTY) or (202) 633-2921 (voice), or by contacting ziebarth@si.edu.