Volunteer Registration Open for 83rd National Folk Festival

Over 800 volunteers needed to fill a variety of positions for the free 83rd National Folk Festival taking place in downtown Jackson, November 13-15, 2026

Jackson, MS, August 2, 2026 — Online volunteer registration opens today for the 83rd National Folk Festival, a FREE, three-day event, returning to Downtown Jackson, November 13-15, 2026. This year marks the second year of the festival’s three-year residency in Mississippi’s capital city. 

Over 400 volunteers participated last year to assist with all areas of the festival, from Backstage Support to Beverage Sales, Participant Transportation, the Bucket Brigade, Music Loggers, Merchandise Sales, and more. The festival wants to double those numbers this year, with larger crowds expected as excitement and pride build for Jackson’s second year hosting the nation’s premier celebration of folk and traditional arts. Volunteers play a vital role in building the civic pride that makes a successful National Folk Festival, shaping the tone and spirit of the festival and creating a warm and hospitable atmosphere for artists, crew, and attendees.

"Last year, Jackson proved just how much heart and hospitality this city has to offer, and our volunteers were at the center of that success," said Mayor John Horhn. "As we head into our second year hosting the National Folk Festival, I'm asking Jacksonians to step up once again, whether you're a returning volunteer or joining us for the first time. This is our chance to keep showing the nation what makes Jackson special.”

“One of the most meaningful parts of our first year was seeing how Jackson showed up for this festival,” says Local Festival Manager Thabi Moyo. “Last year, I said I hoped our volunteers would come back year after year, so hearing from people who are already excited to return has been incredibly special. As we open registration for year two, I’m excited to welcome them back—and to invite even more good folks to join us, experience the festival from behind the scenes, and help us show the country what Jackson hospitality looks like.”

Volunteers may sign up individually or with groups of friends or coworkers. The festival is a wonderful place for family, school, office, church, or community organizations to volunteer as a group. People may choose positions of most interest as well as preferred time slots when registering online. Average volunteer shifts are three to four hours—volunteer once or multiple times across the weekend. There’s an opportunity for anyone, no matter the amount of availability or time to participate.

Each volunteer will get a National Folk Festival volunteer t-shirt, receive service hours, and contribute to a wonderful sense of community pride and achievement—PLUS, make new friends and create unforgettable memories!

To learn more and to register, prospective volunteers can visit nationalfolkfestival.com/volunteer, or email Festival Volunteer Coordinators Jason McCarty and Macy Russell at volunteers@nationalfolkfestival.com with any questions.

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).

This year marks the second year of the festival’s three-year residency in Jackson, Mississippi, held November 13-15, 2026, in Downtown Jackson. It 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. 

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.