Laima Šileikyte-Hood is a member of the Lithuanian Committee preparing for the Festival of American Folklife.

Every summer for two weeks, the Smithsonian, the National Museum of the United States, produces this Festival during the height of the tourist season. The Festival has been in operation for three decades; 60 different nations have participated, as have most states and territories of the U.S.

This Festival was designated the "Top Event in the U.S." by the tourism industry, has won scholarly and journalistic acclaim, and Academy, Emmy, and Grammy Awards for its products. It has also been a model for similar events around the world including the Olympic Arts Festival, as part of the Olympic Games held in Atlanta.

Focus on the Baltic Nations

This year's 32nd annual Festival will feature musicians, artists, performers, cooks, craftspeople, and scholars demonstrating, presenting, and discussing the cultures of the Baltic nations.

The Festival of American Folklife will take place from 11 am into the evening during the two-week period. About 150 participants from the Baltics  50 from each nation  will introduce their cultures with song, dance, food, crafts, and exhibits. Visitors will have a chance to join in, learn songs and dances, ask questions, eat foods, and learn about grassroots culture directly from the people who create it.

A Baltic-American Smithsonian Folklife Festival Committee was formed two years ago to identify resources and help plan for this Festival. The members of the committee made two trips to Lithuanian, Latvia, and Estonia where they had an opportunity to meet with the Ministers of Culture and festival coordinators from the Baltic countries, and experience first-hand the hospitality of the Baltic people.

The Committee was especially impressed with Lithuania's Festival director, Zita Kelmickaite. She arranged a visit to Marcinkoniai, a village in Dzukija, where the committee members spent an afternoon in an authentic village in Lithuania. Zita's energy and enthusiasm convinced the Smithsonian Institution representatives that the Baltic countries, and especially Lithuania, would be well prepared bringing their rich and unique culture to the Festival.

In addition to the Baltic-American Smithsonian Committee, a Washington D.C.-based Lithuanian committee, headed by Dalia Lukiene, will provide translators and interpreters introducing the visiting Lithuanian participants to the American culture. They will also spend time with the participants during off hours exploring Washington's sites.

Baltics Front and Center

Not only does the Festival provide the important opportunity for Americans and others to learn about Baltic culture, but it also garners publicity reaching 40 million people via national television, radio, and print media Ö nearly $8 to 12 million in positive exposure. Smithsonian Folkways, a Smithsonian Institution educational branch, will release CD audio recordings based on the Festival program.

Other educational materials, a virtual festival on the World Wide Web, and a Smithsonian magazine advertising insert distributed to two million readers will provide the Baltic countries the opportunity to place their cultures front and center, instilling pride, and stimulating efforts to develop local cultural-economic resources. This is a Festival not to be missed.

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If you would like more information or to make a tax-exempt financial contribution to this Festival, please contact:

Folklife Programs
& Cultural Studies
Smithsonian Institution
MRC 914
Washington, D.C. 20560