“Today, I will just listen. Without rehearsing, without discounting, without correcting. Today, I will just listen. With intention, with humility, with respect, with gratitude.”
—Visitor at a Wordsmiths’ Cafe open mic

Do you know what it sounds like when Bolivian tinku music and punk rock simultaneously play over speakers? We do. Within the first hour of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival today, a Bolivian folk dance procession took over the National Mall, sandwiched between MoCAT’s Battle of the Bands and a rowdy, intertribal game of Myaamia peekitahaminki (lacrosse). The collision of music styles mirrored that of bodies bumping into each other, creating a soup of sound and energy that perfectly encapsulated this year’s Festival: one that is proud to be loud.

When sitting at any given stage on Festival grounds, you hear the other ones at the same time. But if you close your eyes and listen closely, you’ll hear Di’Orr Greenwood as she dreams of a future where kids don’t have to choose between affording to eat or affording to skate; Rebel Song Academy make kids’ faces turn red with joy as they hear their song about ice cream come to life; Cassandra Quayson recite poetry about Ghanaian mythology and the beauty of petrichor; and people share their vulnerability on an open mic. This week, people from all corners of the world met each other for the first time. But if listening intently and making spaces loud are things we all do, then haven’t we known each other all along?

As the sun set and wind started to blow, a contradance led by Sugar in the Pan and Adina Gordon weaved dancing feet into organized chaos and laughter, confirming that we were never really strangers.

Experience the day through photos and share some of your own on social media, using the hashtag #2025Folklife.

← Day Four | Day Six →

to her.

mirror, which also shows the bowls of prepared ingredients sitting on the counter nearby.

al accessories and a black leather choker necklace.

’ and ‘venetian finish.’ A volunteer kneels on the other side of the stacked bricks, helping to balance them.

For the last day of the Festival, see Evelyn Morán Cojoc finish a mural reflecting her Poqomchi’ Maya heritage, move to the beat of the Alliance of Black Orchestral Percussionists’ drums, play peekitahaminki (lacrosse) with Myaamia students, and close out your night with an intimate farewell concert, featuring talent from across the Festival grounds.

Cassie Roshu is a media intern at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Social media specialist Grace Bowie and editor Elisa Hough contributed.