On opening day of the Folklife Festival, audiences witnessed an unexpected and touching moment when cofounders Paul Binder and Michael Christensen presented the “keys” to the Big Apple Circus to one of its new proprietors.

For more than four decades, I have spent my Labor Day Weekends masquerading as a back row defensive specialist on a 9-man volleyball team. What am I doing here?

As we head into a sweltering weekend, we have a few tips for visitors to stay cool and comfortable on the National Mall. Don’t let the heat keep you home when the circus comes to the Smithsonian!

The 50th annual Folklife Festival continues to grow, as more participants arrive in Washington, D.C., and as artwork emerges in our venues.

On July 1, the Folklife Festival will celebrate D.C. Circus Day, officially designated by the District of Columbia and Mayor Muriel Bowser.

New Mexican food is one of this year’s featured cuisines at the Folklife Festival. If there’s one thing to know about New Mexican cuisine, it’s that locally grown chile peppers feature proudly and prominently.

Happy 50th birthday to the Folklife Festival! Our jubilee anniversary kicked off this morning with an Opening Ceremony in the Big Top

The conversation usually ends one of two ways: “It’s wonderful and timely that you’re focusing on circus and migration for the Festival’s 50th,” or “Circus is great, but I’m not sure it’s suitable for the 50th. And where’s the country focus?”

Traditional culture permeates our lives. It includes things like what we eat for breakfast, how we greet our family, and how close or far we stand from other people when we encounter them in public places.

In addition to acknowledging our work, the resolution also proclaims June 26 to 30, 2017, Folk and Traditional Arts and Culture Week.