We bring our traditions with us as we move through life, and those traditions change on our path—sometimes in surprising ways.

The thought process, symbolism, and history behind a clown’s makeup is far more complicated than meets the diamond-shaped eye.

It seemed so surreal, dropping off art to the Smithsonian in preparation for the Folklife Festival, but when I saw the Big Top on the National Mall, I felt like I was coming home.

The 50th anniversary of the Folklife Festival came to a close Sunday evening with a Salute to Youth Circus and a ceremonial stomp through the sawdust carpet.

Since 2000, this 400-year-old Guatemalan tradition has also been practiced in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., by the Guatemalan communities here.

We’re capping off the 50th anniversary of the Folklife Festival with special discussions and activities about our work behind the scenes and your favorite Festival memories

See an interactive display of photographs from early years of the Folklife Festival and our 50th anniversary.

The Folklife Festival returned to the National Mall today after a rainy and truncated Thursday, bringing artists, radio broadcasters, dancers, clowns, and more to the public.

The danger of organizing a major event around the Fourth of July: a constant threat of summer storms.

On the morning of June 30, 2017, the United States gained a new crop of citizens with the first of two Citizenship Ceremonies at the Folklife Festival.