Folklife

Greg Harkins is a Master Chairmaker with 50 years of experience crafting heirloom-quality furniture. He is best known for his iconic, finely balanced rocking chairs. Over the course of his career, Greg has earned national and international recognition through countless festivals, exhibitions, and media features that celebrate his artistry and devotion to traditional woodworking.

Betty Crawford is a mixed-media artist and quilter who draws inspiration from her family, ancestors, and the endurance of the Delta, all woven into her intricate quilts and sculptures that preserve the legacy of the Mule Train and Poor People's Campaign.

Raised in Clarksdale, Anthony “Big A” Sherrod is part of a living lineage of blues legends. He will be joined by the students of the Delta Blues Museum Blues Class for his performance at the 82nd National Folk Festival.

For four generations, the Bland Family has been honing traditional agricultural practices including seed saving, composting, and seasonal, hand-tended cultivation, preserving the legacy of Black land stewardship in Mississippi.

For nearly two decades, Blue Monday has been a staple of the live blues scene in Jackson. Hosted by legendary restaurant and musical institution Hal & Mal’s, this weekly open mic brings together seasoned performers, emerging talent, and die-hard blues fans under one roof.

Founded by Tupelo native Matt Robinson, Change Skateboard Shop serves as an oasis for the flourishing skateboard community that calls Northeast Mississippi home.

Dr. Tammy Greer and Robin Whitfield specialize in medicine wheel gardens, a gardening technique rooted in traditional Native American planting and healing practices.

Eleanor Chickaway of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians is one of the living masters of Choctaw the basketmaking tradition, using vibrant colors and complex weaves to create beautiful basketry, a skill she has passed on to others in her community.

Mississippi is known for its rich music scene, and its hip hop community is no exception; Vitamin Cea, DevMacc, and Phingaprint will showcase what hip hop in the state looks like.

Dr. J. Janice Coleman sews quilts, cotton sacks, and other items that tell stories about her family and community by using scraps and remnants that reflect the past and present life and culture of the Mississippi Delta.

Mississippi Delta bluesman and visual artist James “Super Chikan” Johnson plays the guitars he makes himself, using repurposed materials from gas cans to ceiling fans, painting each “chikantar” with images from the Delta.

Jimmy “Duck” Holmes is the greatest living proponent of the Bentonia blues, a highly localized style known for its haunting and eerie sound.

Born in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, Keith Johnson is a rising force in contemporary blues, known for blending deep Delta roots with a modern edge.

La Nueva Generación (Spanish for “new generation”) brings the vibrant sounds of huapango huasteco to life, honoring the deep-rooted traditions of Mexico’s Huasteca region through song, strings, and rhythmic dance.

Artists Lucy Isadora and Justin Ransburg are part of Jackson's burgeoning punk zine community, helping others discover their creativity through this DIY medium.

In a career spanning four decades, the Mighty Gospel Warriors have brought together several generations of the Judon family, along with other singers and musicians, to create one of Mississippi’s iconic gospel sounds.

With more than five decades of riding together throughout the Mississippi Delta, the Motor Mouse Motorcycle Club supports charitable work and fellowship among its members, while maintaining, showcasing, and riding together at every opportunity.

Wearing traditional dress and guided by a chanter’s song and percussive sticks, Oka Homma Alla Hilha Alhiha walk in the footsteps of their ancestors and foster fellowship and community through Chahta Hihla (Choctaw dancing).

Celebrating Mississippi’s boldest voices in punk rock, this showcase will highlight the region’s thriving DIY spirit, community-first ethos, and forms of social resistance featuring the bands Hammer & the Tools, Hartle Road, and Bad Anxiety.

S.E.W. (Sew Every Wednesday) is a community quilting group dedicated to preserving and sharing the traditional art of quilting and has become a creative and social hub for quilters of all backgrounds and skill levels.

Stephany Brown is a traditional hand quilter from Jackson, Mississippi. Her work is inspired by history, incorporating the resilience and ingenuity of her ancestors into each piece she creates.

The Tougaloo College Choir represents the rich tradition of gospel music found in Jackson and throughout the state by embodying the transformative power of the tradition through performance, education, and community engagement.

The Wilkins Sisters, once backing singers for their renowned blues and gospel singer father, now honor that legacy and deep tradition of faith and family, backed by a soul-shaking band.