The 83rd National Folk Festival Family Area to Feature an Energetic Mix of Performers All Festival Weekend
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Artists will additionally be found at pop-up street performances throughout the festival
Jackson, MS, August 19, 2026 — The 83rd National Folk Festival is excited to announce the performers featured in the festival’s Family Area, and in pop-up street performances, in Downtown Jackson from November 13-15, 2026. The Family Area & Stage will once again be located in Smith Park at the north end of the festival site, providing a perfect space for performances and participatory activities for children of all ages.
“Jackson’s young people and families will have so much to enjoy at this year’s National Folk Festival,” said Mayor John Horhn. “The Family Area and street performances will bring music, movement and culture right into the heart of downtown, giving people a chance to experience something fun and new.”
"The Family Area Stage and street performances enliven the festival for children and festivalgoers of all ages," said Blaine Waide, executive director of the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA). "These are opportunities for up-close interaction and participation that open hearts and minds to new cultures and experiences, creating the potential for growth and wonder."
With interactive performances and participatory activities, the Family Area provides engaging, fun, and educational experiences; these activities will be announced later this summer. The Family Stage will showcase a variety of performances, from Double Dutch to puppetry, lion dance, and West African drumming. The four artists announced today are:
West African Drumming 101 with Shawn Lawrence (Jackson, Mississippi) – West African drumming Bring the entire family to experience interactive, hands-on West African drumming workshops with this esteemed, world-traveling musician, educator, mentor, and community leader.
Jeghetto (Chapel Hill, North Carolina) – puppetry Master puppeteer handcrafts astonishing, 21st-century puppets—Afro-futurist breakdancing androids, dinosaurs, dreadlocked cellists, and more— that connect with kids of all backgrounds.
40+ Double Dutch Club (Jackson, Mississippi) – Double Dutch This club brings the noise, movement, and joy of Double Dutch to women all over Jackson, as a tool for physical and mental well-being, empowerment, community-building, and sisterhood.
White Tiger Lion Dance Team (Biloxi, Mississippi) – Vietnamese lion dance Hailing from Biloxi’s vibrant Vietnamese community, Mississippi’s only lion dance team practices this ancient tradition that spreads joy and prosperity during Lunar New Year celebrations.
Several of these artists, along with others who have been previously announced, will also participate in pop-up street performances, providing festivalgoers a unique way to interact and engage with festival performers. Schedule and festival site details, including performance times, will be announced in the fall.
Approximately 300 artists—musicians, dancers, storytellers, and craftspeople—will take part in the National Folk Festival, with more than 30 different musical groups performing on as many as six outdoor performance venues throughout Downtown Jackson.
Over 15 people of different backgrounds—and with a deep knowledge of music and art forms—came together from across Mississippi to serve as the local Festival Programming Advisory Committee. This committee’s role is to consider—and help the NCTA select—the artists who will perform at the National Folk Festival each year.
This year marks the second year of the festival’s three-year residency in Jackson, Mississippi, and 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 83rd National Folk 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 learn more about these artists and their stories, please visit nationalfolkfestival.com/artists. The National Folk Festival will feature individual artists on its Facebook page (facebook.com/NFFJackson) and Instagram (instagram.com/NFFJackson) throughout the summer.
More performers will be announced as they are confirmed. The eight artists announced today join the following performers:
Annie & the Caldwells (West Point, Mississippi) – soul gospel
Capoeira Luanda (New York, New York) – Brazilian capoeira
Mestre Jelon Vieira, leader of Capoeira Luanda, received an NEA National Heritage Fellowship in 2008.
Dat Mighty 9 feat. Big Chief Romeo (New Orleans, Louisiana) – Mardi Gras Indian music
Dexter Allen (Jackson, Mississippi) – blues
Eddie Cotton, Jr. (Clinton, Mississippi) – soul blues
Epi Martinez & Friends (Rio Grande Valley, Texas) – conjunto tejano
The Jerry Douglas Band (Nashville, Tennessee) – bluegrass
Jerry Douglas received an NEA National Heritage Fellowship in 2004.
Mavis Staples (Chicago, Illinois) – gospel, soul, and rhythm and bluesMavis Staples received an NEA National Heritage Fellowship in 2006.
Melissa Carper & Emily Gimble (Austin, Texas) – classic country
Johnny Gimble, Emily’s grandfather, received an NEA National Heritage Fellowship in 1994.
Mississippi Alumni All-Star Band (Jackson, Mississippi) – HBCU marching band
Mississippi Mass Choir (Jackson, Mississippi) – gospel
Mystic Wind Choctaw Social Dance Group (Choctaw, Mississippi) – Choctaw social dance
Rahim AlHaj Trio (Albuquerque, New Mexico) – Iraqi oudRahim AlHaj received an NEA National Heritage Fellowship in 2015.
Rahzel (New York, New York) – beatboxing
Raiatea Helm (Honolulu, Hawai’i) – Hawaiian falsetto singing
Rebolú (Queens, New York, and Tampa, Florida) – Colombian
Revival Worship from the Jackson Revival Center (Jackson, Mississippi) – praise and worship music
Rondalla Club of Los Angeles (Los Angeles, California) – Filipino rondalla
Tagumpay de Leon, or “Uncle Pi,” received an NEA National Heritage Fellowship in 2021.
Savoy Family Cajun Band (Eunice, Louisiana) – CajunMarc Savoy received an NEA National Heritage Fellowship in 1992.
Stanley & the Ten Sleepless Knights (St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands) – quelbe music
Stanley Jacobs received an NEA National Heritage Fellowship in 2022.
“Steppin’ in the ‘Sip” (Mississippi) – step team competition
Tay Cheesy (Atlanta, Georgia) – trail ride line dancing
Winnsboro Easter Rock Ensemble (Winnsboro, Louisiana) – Easter rock spiritual ensemble
Winnsboro Easter Rock Ensemble received an NEA National Heritage Fellowship in 2021.
Performer assets may be downloaded here: bit.ly/NFFPressKit.
The National Folk Festival is a partnership of the National Council for the Traditional Arts, the City of Jackson, Visit Jackson, Downtown Jackson Partners, the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership, the Community Foundation for Mississippi, the Mississippi Arts Commission, the Mississippi Humanities Council, Visit Mississippi, and the National Park Service. The festival is FREE to the public.
