For Families and Children
The Folklife Festival offers a variety of activities for families and children, including crafts and food demonstrations, as well as music and dance performances.
PERFORMANCES
Saturday, July 9, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., World Stage
The annual Ralph Rinzler Memorial Concert honors Kate Rinzler (1937–2010) and her dedication to children’s art and folklore with performances by three Smithsonian Folkways children’s recording artists:
Elizabeth Mitchell, Suni Paz, and Chip Taylor and the Grandkids.
Colombia program — Daily workshops and demonstrations by circus performers
Peace Corps program — Daily performances by an award-winning youth tinikling dance group from the Philippines
Rhythm & Blues program — From June 30 through July 4, daily performances by the talented Memphis high school students of the Stax Music Academy
See the complete schedule to learn more about the dozens of performances, foodways demonstrations, crafts, and other activities occurring daily.
FAMILY ACTIVITIES GUIDES
Pick up FREE guides for the Colombia and Peace Corps programs
at any Festival Information kiosk or at the Kids Corps tent in the Peace Corps area.
Colombia Journeys provides information and activities that kids can use as a guide through the six major ecosystems and three urban areas featured in the Colombia program. The booklet contains a map of Colombia and a detachable postcard. If kids complete at least four activities, they win a temporary Festival tattoo.
Kids Corps Passport introduces kids to the work of the Peace Corps and guides them through several activities. When each activity is completed, kids get their “passports” stamped at the designated stations. When they have five stamps, they return to the Kids Corps tent to receive a Peace Corps 50th anniversary badge of service and a temporary Festival tattoo.
DAILY ONGOING ACTIVITIES
Colombia program — Demonstrations and hands-on activities for kids include weaving crafts, traditional games, and circus performances. Silletero artisans, who carry elaborate flower arrangements on their backs during parades, will have a small silleta (or chair-like structure that holds flowers) for our young visitors to try. Kids are also invited to meet Sassy the mule, who will be participating in daily demonstrations.
Peace Corps program — Demonstrations and hands-on activities include helping to paint a world map mural and build a recycled bottle wall, learning languages and cultural etiquette, and pedaling a stationary bike to charge cell phones. Check the sign at the Kids Corps tent for scheduled activities, such as learning about water conservation and playing traditional games from around the world.
- Share your world — in the Kids Corps tent, visitors can design or write a postcard to kids overseas. Peace Corp volunteers will share these postcards with their host communities. And volunteers from the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum are on hand to help.
- Starting June 30, go online — to festival.si.edu/PeaceCorpsKids to find more fun information and activities related to the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps, just for kids! Visit the Web site and find out where in the world you will be assigned next. After completing the online training, you will receive a certificate of achievement.