The 2016 Smithsonian Folklife Festival began on June 29 with a ceremony in the Smithsonian’s newly reopened Arts and Industries Building.

Each year we ask, how do we better engage you, the visitor, in the creation, production, and presentation of our programs? Since its inception, the Festival has been a unique dance between participants, curators, and visitors.

While Basque country is home to many styles of dance, each with variations in dress, there are some basic elements that dance costumes have in common.

As a master chef and lover of Basque cuisine, José Andrés shares some of his favorite picks from the Folklife Festival Marketplace.

Under clear blue skies, our technical team is installing white tents and billowing signs on the green grass of the National Mall. You know what that means? The Smithsonian Folklife Festival will soon be upon us!

This relatively simple custard filled cake has a dedicated following within Basque communities.

The 2016 Folklife Festival is full of family-friendly activities, but if you have kids with you the best place to start is at the Txiki-Txoko (pronounced “CHEE-kee CHO-ko) Kids’ Corner.

Eight months ago, our Ondarre homestead had a pleasant visit from none other than researchers from the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C.!

Every year I look forward to the Folklife Festival—there’s always a ton to do, and I love learning and experiencing new cultures from around the world. When I found out this year was going to be the Basque country, I immediately marked my calendar.

I met Begoña Echeverría and Andrea Bidart at the Basque Club in Chino, a city in Southern California’s Inland Empire, an hour’s drive from Los Angeles.