83rd National Folk Festival Announces Vibrant, Non-Stop Schedule

Official festival poster to be revealed later today

Jackson, MS, October 7, 2026 — The National Folk Festival announced today the full performance schedule for November’s event. With over 300 artists performing across six stages, and dozens of craft demonstrators and artisans showcasing their craft in the Mississippi Folklife Area and the Festival Marketplace, festival attendees can expect a feast of delights anywhere they turn, and new favorites to discover. The festival returns to Downtown Jackson, November 13-15, 2026, with a similar festival footprint as last year, with a few changes.

"Last year, people came downtown, walked Capitol Street and found out what Jackson has to offer. We want them back this November, and we hope they bring a friend,” said Mayor John Horhn. “Thank you to the National Council for the Traditional Arts and everyone who has worked to make this happen. It's three days, it's free, and it's right downtown. Come see us."

"We are delighted to return for our second year in Downtown Jackson," said Blaine Waide, executive director of the National Council for the Arts. "For three days, residents, families, and visitors from near and far will be immersed in the sights, sounds, and flavors of our country as we come together to celebrate the nation's, and Mississippi's, best artists and defining cultural traditions—all free!"

The FREE, three-day celebration begins with Hill Country blues and African American fife and drum from Cedric Burnside and Rising Stars Fife & Drum at 6 p.m. on Friday, November 13, on the Visit Mississippi Stage. At 6:45 p.m., the Mississippi Alumni All-Star Band will kick off the opening parade, leading festival attendees from the Visit Mississippi Stage to the Ergon/Alliant Stage. Everyone is invited to join in. Festival organizers will officially open the festival at 7:15 p.m. Three stages will be running on Friday night from 7:15-9:30 p.m.—the Ergon/Alliant Stage, the Visit Mississippi Stage, and the StateStreet Group Dance Pavilion.

The festival once again runs along Capitol Street, with large, open-air stages anchoring either end—the Ergon/Alliant Stage, at the intersection of Capitol and State Streets, in front of the Old Capitol Museum, and the Visit Mississippi Stage, which has moved one block from last year’s location, and now sits between Lamar and West Streets. The StateStreet Group Dance Pavilion is once again in the “Welcome to Jackson” lot at Pearl and State Streets, and the City With Soul Stage, a large, covered venue, is in a new location on West Street between Capitol and Pearl Streets. We are pleased to return to Smith Park, which will be shared by the Mississippi Folklife Area and VitalCore Health Strategies Mississippi Folklife Stage (located across Congress Street from Smith Park) and the Family Activities Area, sponsored by C Spire Foundation and Regions Bank, and Family Stage, sponsored by Community Foundation for Mississippi and W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Additional festival areas include the Festival Marketplace, sponsored by Hinds County Economic Development Authority, in front of the Governor’s Mansion on Capitol Street, and two street performance areas—one at Capitol and Congress Streets, and another in the Smith Park Amphitheater.

Beginning at noon on Saturday, November 14, all six outdoor stages—plus street performance areas and the Mississippi Folklife Demonstration Area—will provide non-stop entertainment. Saturday runs all day through 9:30 p.m., with some venues closing between 5 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday festival hours are noon through 6:00 p.m. Marketplace and food vendors open an hour before the festival starts each day.

The 83rd National Folk Festival will prominently feature National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship recipients, our nation’s highest honor for the traditional arts, in a special program celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. The festival is also participating this year in Of the People: The Smithsonian Festival of Festivals, a series of programs and exchanges marking the U.S. Semiquincentennial and showcasing the country’s remarkable cultural landscape. 

To see the complete schedule and site map, please visit NationalFolkFestival.com/schedule. For up-to-date information, connect with the festival on Facebook (facebook.com/NFFJackson) and Instagram (instagram.com/NFFJackson).

Meet the Official Festival Poster Artist: Chris Windfield

The festival is delighted to share that there is an official festival poster this year, designed by local artist Chris Windfield, a multidisciplinary artist, muralist, filmmaker, and animator from Jackson, Mississippi. With a bachelor’s in graphic design from Jackson State University and a master’s in web design and new media from the Academy of Art University, his work explores themes of race, society, and humanism. Blending realism with mixed media, Chris creates thought-provoking pieces that challenge perspectives and highlight everyday people. His murals and paintings reflect his deep connection to community and storytelling, while his award-winning films expand his artistic reach. Inspired by artists like Basquiat and Kehinde Wiley, Chris’s work invites self-reflection and dialogue, pushing the boundaries of contemporary art.

In creating the poster for the 83rd National Folk Festival, Chris aimed to capture the spirit of the event, and honor Mississippi’s contributions to the story of American culture across 250 years. The design uses vibrant colors to reflect the energy, diversity, and creativity of all of the cultures that come together at the festival, and symbolizes not just cultural diversity but the connections created when traditions, stories, and experiences come together. 

“The festival is a celebration of the idea that our differences do not divide us,” says Windfield. “They give us more ways to understand one another, and together, they create something greater than any one culture could create alone.”

Festival attendees will be able to purchase posters with his art at either of the two festival merchandise tents, located next to the Festival Marketplace and by the StateStreet Group Dance Pavilion.

The National Folk Festival is a partnership of the National Council for the Traditional Arts, the City of Jackson, Jackson Redevelopment Authority, Visit Jackson, Downtown Jackson Partners, the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership, the Mississippi Arts Commission, the Mississippi Humanities Council, Visit Mississippi, the Community Foundation for Mississippi, and the National Park Service. The festival is FREE to the public.

The 83rd National Folk Festival, presented by Ergon / Alliant, is also sponsored by Amazon, AT&T, Atmos, Barbour Hurst, Cadence Bank, Capital Area Tourism Association, City of Flowood, Comcast, C Spire, Entergy, Explore Ridgeland, the Foundation for Mississippi History, Hinds County Economic Development Authority, Hope Credit Union, Jackson Municipal Airport Authority, Kellogg Foundation, Levitt Foundation, Phil Hardin Foundation, Regions Bank, Renasant Bank, South Arts, Southern Beverage, StateStreet Group, Trustmark Bank, and Visit Vicksburg.

This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

This project received funding from the Smithsonian’s “Our Shared Future: 250,” a Smithsonian-wide initiative supported by private philanthropy and created to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary and advance the Smithsonian vision for the next 250 years.

To learn more about the festival, please visit nationalfolkfestival.com. Stay up to date with the latest news from the National Folk Festival on Facebook (facebook.com/NFFJackson) and Instagram (instagram.com/NFFJackson).