Sign up to volunteer at festival.si.edu/volunteer. The Smithsonian’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage needs volunteers before, during and after the annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival, which will be held on the National Mall June 26 to July 1.
The Smithsonian’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage needs volunteers before, during and after the annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival, which will be held on the National Mall June 26 to July 1. Visitors to the 2024 Festival will experience year's exciting program, “Indigenous Voices of the Americas: Celebrating the National Museum of the American Indian.” Activities will take place on the National Mall between 4th and 7th streets and in NMAI. Daytime programs by musicians, dancers, cooks, artisans, storytellers and others will run from 11 a.m. through 5:30 p.m. On select evenings, special concerts will begin at 6 p.m. Admission to the festival is free and open to the public. Volunteers with experience in accessibility services and those who speak Spanish, Portuguese and other Indigenous Languages are especially needed. Volunteers will have a variety of possible responsibilities, ranging from taking photos and videos of the festival to helping with demonstrations and other activities. The festival accepts volunteers of all ages and abilities. Those who are under 18 must have a signed parental permission and minors under 16 can volunteer if they have a parent, guardian or mentor present. The festival also supports Student Service Learning and Community Volunteer Hours if volunteers bring the forms with them. Shift options are between 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. and evening shifts between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. More information on volunteer opportunities and applications is available on the Festival website or by contacting Charish Bishop at bishopc2@si.edu and (202) 633-6527. You can also contact Bella Titus at titusig@si.edu and (202) 633-6467. Inaugurated in 1967, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival honors living cultural traditions and celebrates those who practice and sustain them. Produced annually by the Smithsonian’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and presented in association with the National Park Service, the festival has featured participants from all 50 states, every U.S. territory and more than 100 countries.
