One of my favorite things about living in the DC area is the annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall. Conveniently enough, my office is just 3 blocks away from the festival, so it’s great for livening up my lunch breaks (when I can get away) and after-work time.

For the last 3 years or so, one of the themes of the Fesival has been “Nuestra Musica,” featuring Latin music and its rich and varied cultural tradition. Needless to say, that made for some looong lunch breaks for me! This year, I am branching out, as “Nuestra Musica” is no more. The three themes this year are:

  • Mekong River
  • Northern Ireland
  • Virginia

I’m looking forward to dance lessons, performances, and music, along with loads of other demonstrations of traditions from these three cultures (plus yummy food). I will report back here on my experiences.

[2007 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, runs Wednesday, June 27 through July 1, and then July 4-8. Daytime events run 11AM to 5:30PM, evening events start at 6pm. Full schedule of events is available here. ]