Smithsonian Folklife Festival is Accessible for People Who Have Disabilities
The Smithsonian Folklife Festival is accessible for people who:
• are blind or have low-vision
• are deaf or hard-of-hearing
• need help with mobility
• have cognitive or sensory processing disabilities.
The themes of the festival are “The Will to Adorn,” about African-American clothing, “Hungarian Heritage” about customs the 1,000-year-old country, and “One World, Many Voices,” about global language loss.
Services
Blind--Verbal-description and tactile tours are scheduled for Friday, July 5th at 1:00 p.m.
Deaf–American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters will be there daily to interpret selected performances and presentations. Real-time captioning (CART) will be provided for selected performances and presentations.
Mobility–A limited number of wheelchairs will be available for loan at the volunteer tent.
Cognitive/Sensory–Performance stages, narrative stages, the Hungarian Kitchen and the Song and Story Circle stage will be equipped with audio loops and loop receivers that remove distracting noises.
All service animals are welcome.
The Will to Adorn: African American Identity and the Aesthetics of Dress will examine the history and culture African-American dress. It will show clothes from urban style centers like Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, New York and Chicago.
Hungarian Heritage: Roots to Revival will feature more than 100 participants from the 1,000-year-old country. Artists, dancers, craftspeople and cooks will share their customs and traditions.
One World, Many Voices: Endangered Languages and Cultural Heritage will bring together communities from around the world that are fighting to save their native languages.
Visitors with disabilities who need assistance may go to the volunteer tent located in the festival services area near the Smithsonian Metrorail station’s national mall exit. A large-print version of the festival’s daily schedule and food concession menus will be available.
Running time varies. Entertainment and activities are scheduled from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with concerts, special events and dance parties extending into most evenings. The Festival continues through Sunday, July 7th, on the National Mall between Seventh and 14th streets. Free. (202) 633-2921 or [email protected]. More information.
LINK
Watch video highlights of performances at this year’s Folklife Festival.
