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Smithsonian
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage

2014 Smithsonian Folklife Festival
The 2014 Smithsonian Folklife Festival opens in less than two weeks! Join us on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., for the opening ceremony on June 25 at 10:30 a.m. The Festival runs June 25–29 and July 2–6 from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, with special events scheduled most evenings.

See the full schedule, and read below for a preview of this year’s programs and more!

China: Tradition and the Art of Living

China: Tradition and the Art of Living

China: Tradition and the Art of Living explores the mixture of traditional and contemporary Chinese culture. For example, musical groups Ih Tsetsn and the Dimen Dong Folk Chorus use music to share traditions with new generations. Artist Jin Yuanshan draws on her dual Korean and Chinese heritage to create distinctive pieces of patchwork and quilting. Chinese culture is deeply rooted in the past, but it is also full of innovative responses to modern life.

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Kenya: Mambo Poa

Festival Preview: A Visit to Guizhou Province, China

Kenya: Mambo Poa celebrates the diversity and traditions of Kenya and its people, who reflect the great range of physical environments. The program highlights peoples and landscapes, such as the work of conservationists with local communities and wildlife; innovation and creativity through building and creating with recycled and found materials; and Kenya as the cradle of humankind, where visitors can experience a model excavation site and unearth fossil casts of Turkana Boy, who lived approximately 1.6 million years ago.

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A Tribute to Pete Seeger at the Festival:
Ralph Rinzler Memorial Concert

Cook Labs Records

Join us on Friday, June 27, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. to celebrate the life and legacy of Pete Seeger. This year’s Ralph Rinzler Memorial Concert features Smithsonian Folkways artists Quetzal, Anthony Seeger, and Tony Trischka, along with participants from the Folklife Festival, Abigail Washburn, and several special guests. The conversations continue for two panel discussions on June 28.

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Connect with Us!

Connect with Us!

Know Before You Go: Festival Marketplace

Cook Labs Records

The Festival Marketplace will be located on the National Mall side of the National Museum of American History. Stop by between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. to shop for crafts made by Festival participants and more.

  • This vibrant, colorful elephant sculpture (left, $37.50) is crafted from recycled flip-flops by craftspeople in Kenya.
  • Is today an auspicious day for a haircut? To start a business? Never be without the answer: pick up a copy of the Pocket Chinese Almanac 2014 ($7) by Festival research consultants Joanna C. Lee and Ken Smith.
  • Bring a piece of the Folklife Festival home with a Banner Tote Bag ($22). Each one-of-a-kind bag is made by repurposing banners from past Festivals.

Snack on Dumplings and Samosas at the Festival

Cook Labs Records

Hungry? Swing by our concessions to snack on lo mein, dumplings, curry, samosas, and more Chinese and Kenyan cuisine. Don’t forget to wash it down with a Chinese milk tea, limeade, or ice-cold Tusker Beer. Concessions are open daily from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and full menus and descriptions can be found on our website.

Sustainability at the Festival

Cook Labs Records

The Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage is dedicated to making the Folklife Festival an environmentally friendly and sustainable event. Last year we diverted 74% of waste from landfills, and this year we aim to do even better!

  • Look out for Resource Recovery Stations for composting and recycling.
  • The concessions will once again be going entirely compostable, including all utensils, cups, and clamshell packaging.
  • Bring your water bottle and use our free water stations to refill on filtered water and cut down on waste.

Smithsonian Folkways Shares Music of China from UNESCO Collection

Cook Labs Records

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings is reissuing the UNESCO Collection of Traditional Music, with two albums being published each week. Before visiting the Festival, check out China and China: Chuida Wind and Percussive Instrumental Ensembles, albums that highlight two major threads of Chinese traditional arts study: classical and folk culture. Throughout the Festival, various performers will highlight these threads of Chinese music, including Smithsonian Folkways artist and pipa virtuoso Wu Man on Saturday, July 5.

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Subscriber Discount: Enter code SFNL0614 at folkways.si.edu and save 20% on these CD or album download through June 30

Donate to Folklife

Please consider donating today to support the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage!

Images (top to bottom): 1) Photo by Jeff Tinsley, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. 2) Wu Zhangshi (left) and Wu Qianchun of the Dimen Dong Folk Chorus. Courtesy of Dimen Dong Cultural Eco-Museum. 3) Kitengela Glass. Photo by Preston Scott. 4) Pete Seeger. Photo by Diana Davies, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. 5) Photo by KC Commander. 6) Photo courtesy of Ocean Sole. 7) Chi Fan Le! Let’s Eat! Photo by Zaki Ghul. 8) Photo by 2013 Smithsonian Folklife Festival staff. 9) China album cover.

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Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage