Hundreds of thousands have come to the nation’s front yard to take in arts and crafts that span the continent and the centuries. The Smithsonian Folklife Festival is now in its 40th year. Organizers expect more than 1 million to have visited the festival on the Mall by the time it ends July 11.
This year’s festival features crafts from Alberta, Canada, traditional African-American music from New Orleans and Latin music from Chicago.
More than 80,000 took in the festival Friday and another 130,000 came Saturday, organizers said.
Under a broiling sun Sunday, crowds wandered through the various exhibits. The briskest trade, though, was in the traditional food and, of course, the lemonade stands.
Don Greeves, a Food and Drug Administration employee who lives in Greenbelt, has been coming to the festival with his sister, Carol Lussier, of Pawtucket, R.I., since he moved to the area in 1989.
“I like the certain kind of music I get that you can’t get anywhere else,” Greeves said.
Some were even less discriminating. Twelve year-old Nicole Morash of Independence, Mo., was traveling with her family. She said her favorite part so far was the Metro.
“It’s cool,” she said.
Eleanor Chickaway, a Choctaw craftsmaker who lives in Mississippi, was one of the many basket-weavers. Dressed in traditional clothing, she took a break from her stand to take pictures of the Mall. It is her first trip to D.C.
“I’ve always wanted to see the Capitol and the White House,” she said.
After a break on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the festival will resume Friday and end July 11.
