First held in 1934, the National Folk Festival is the oldest multicultural festival of traditional arts in the nation, and has been produced from its inception by the NCTA. It is a traveling festival produced in partnership with communities around the country. The National Folk Festival’s three-year stay in each host city is intended to lay the groundwork for sustainable, locally-produced festivals and events that continue after the National moves on. To date, the National has been presented in 26 cities. Musicians and craftspeople from every state in the Union and most U.S. territories have participated in this “moveable feast of deeply traditional folk arts.” Presented to audiences free of charge over a three-day period, National Folk Festivals since 1987 have had audiences upwards of 175,000.
A Brief History of the National Folk Festival Download PDF
Benefits of hosting the National Folk Festival Learn more.