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For information related to the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, check out our new and improved Tumblr!

Colombian Architects will Build Innovative Bamboo (Guadua) Tents on the National Mall

by Van Luong

Ever wondered about the use of giant bamboo as a construction material? Click on the image to find out more.

The Smithsonian Folklife Festival is Committed to Making the Event Accessible and Enjoyable

by Van Luong

The Smithsonian Folklife Festival is held outdoors on the National Mall, and our team is committed to making the event as accessible and enjoyable as possible for all visitors. American Sign Language interpreters are scheduled throughout the day at selected stages clearly marked on the Festival schedule. This year, we will also offer several days of CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation), with dates and times to be marked on the Festival schedule. 

Visit us at Information kiosks and at the Volunteer Tent, where we offer wheelchairs on loan, large-print versions of the daily schedule and food concession menus, and Festival program books on CD and in other formats upon request. Information kiosks are located at several points around the Festival site, and the Volunteer Tent is located in the Festival Services area near the Smithsonian Metrorail station’s Mall exit.

Verbal-description and tactile tours are scheduled for July 2 and July 8 at 1 p.m. for visitors who are blind or have low vision; reservations may be made by e-mailing access@si.edu. To request other access services not listed above, such as real-time captioning, please call (202) 633-2921 (voice) or e-mail access@si.edu. All music-stage locations are equipped with audio loops.

The Smithsonian Folklife Festival welcomes all service animals.  

www.festival.si.edu

The Smithsonian Folklife Festival is looking for volunteers! Click on the image for more information.

Smithsonian Folklife Festival Remembers Gaelic Singer Ishbel MacAskill. Click on the photo to learn more.

Check out our Rhythm and Blues program news by clicking on the image!

Here’s the latest dispatch from Colombia program Curator Olivia Cadaval. Click on the image for an update from Bogotá!

Preparations are in full swing for the 2011 Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Click on the image to find out more!

The 2011 Smithsonian Folklife Festival runs from June 30-July 4 and July 7-11 in Washington, D.C. Watch this space for regular updates on this year’s programs: Colombia, Peace Corps, and Rhythm and Blues.

Click on the photo to be directed to the blog!