Ergon / Alliant Returns as Presenting Sponsor for the 83rd National Folk Festival
Companies will help bring three days of free music and dance from across America to Downtown Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, MS, September 8, 2026 — The National Folk Festival is excited to announce that Ergon, Inc. and Alliant Construction are returning as presenting sponsor for the 83rd National Folk Festival, which will take place November 13 -15, 2026. This year marks the second year of the festival’s three-year residency in Downtown Jackson. Part of the Ergon family of companies, Alliant Construction is built on a strong foundation established over 70 years ago in Jackson, Mississippi. Known for a longstanding commitment to Mississippi’s capital city, Ergon and Alliant Construction are proud supporters of a festival that will bring tens of thousands of festivalgoers to Downtown Jackson to enjoy the best of America, and the best of Mississippi, during our nation’s 250th anniversary.
“We’re excited to return as presenting sponsor of the National Folk Festival after such a remarkable turnout last year in this great city full of gifted artists,” said Robert Lampton, member of the Board of Directors of Ergon. “The sense of community around an appreciation for the arts and good family fun is just what the city, the state and the world need right now. We’re glad to play a part in making this happen again. Personally, as a founding board member of the Great City Mississippi Foundation, I'm proud to support quality-of-life projects that strengthen communities and create lasting impact across the state, and I'm grateful for opportunities like the Folk Festival to continue that work.”
As part of their sponsorship, the companies will again sponsor the Ergon / Alliant Stage located at the intersection of Capitol Street and State Street, in front of the Old Capitol Museum. Festival partners and other local dignitaries will offer opening remarks from the Ergon / Alliant Stage on Friday evening immediately after the festival’s kickoff parade, and music from across America will continue to fill the streets of downtown all day Saturday and Sunday.
“On behalf of the City of Jackson, I want to thank Ergon / Alliant for this generous investment in the National Folk Festival and in our community," said Mayor John Horhn. "Their support will help bring visitors from across the country to celebrate and experience the culture of our capital city. We’re proud to have Ergon / Alliant standing with Jackson as a presenting sponsor for the second consecutive year as we continue to grow this great event.”
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.
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).
