National Folk Festival (US)
Jackson · US
The National Folk Festival describes itself as the longest-running multicultural festival of traditional arts in the US. It is produced by the National Council for the Traditional Arts and is currently based in Jackson, Mississippi. It picks nearly 30 groups from more than 1,100 applicants, and books artists rooted in the community their music comes from, not interpreters of a tradition such as contemporary singer-songwriters or revival groups. Applications go through an online form, with audio samples required.
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Playing this festival
The festival has not published a regular application window.
Applications for the 83rd festival were open on 2026-11-07, with no deadline given. It books tradition-bearers only, not singer-songwriters or revival groups, and picks about 30 of more than 1,100 applicants. You only hear back if they're interested.
We present artists who are firmly rooted in the community from which their music derives, rather than "interpreters" of tradition, such as contemporary singer-songwriters or "revivalist" performance groups, however accomplished they may be. ... Artists will not be contacted unless the festival is interested in pursuing festival performance possibilities. ... any event that deals with applications and solicitations from upwards of 1,100 performing groups and selects nearly 30 is certain to decline several hundred very fine groups.