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2025 Folklife Festival Lead Volunteers

2025 Folklife Festival Lead Volunteers

The Folklife Festival could not happen without the contribution of volunteers who work in areas throughout the site. Each site is assigned a Lead Volunteer to help guide and manage the volunteers in these areas, under the guidance and direction of Festival staff. These paid positions are highly competitive opportunities and spaces are very limited (only 1 person per area) and require attendance at all shifts of the Festival.


The following roles are available.
 In your application, please list your top three roles in order of preference and your previous experience.


Accessibility
 Offering services to support an accessible and inclusive Festival environment. Available accessibility services include ASL, Open Captioning, Assistive Listening, Live Audio Description, and more for all visitors, participants, staff, and volunteers.

* Experience in the fields of accessibility, inclusion, and/or disability is preferred.

* Full day hours between 10:00 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. may be required.


Arts and Industries Building
 This newly renovated historic building will host performances each day and is the rain location for the Festival, should the weather prevent outdoor activities. Learn more about some of the programming here.

* Experience managing event venues is preferred but not required.

* Full day hours between 10:00 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. may be required.


Audio, Photo & Video Documentation
 The activities of each Festival are captured for posterity, publicity and archival purposes. Skilled Documentarians are desired to work with Festival staff to accomplish this work.

* Experience in live performance documentation is required.

* Full day hours between 10:00 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. may be required.


Building Trades
 Skilled craftspeople in the traditional building trades play a vital role in preserving our nation's built environment and cultural heritage. This program features inspiring examples of intergenerational teaching and learning in the heritage trades, highlighting the diverse voices, perspectives, and experiences of young people learning the building crafts and the master artisans dedicated to passing on their knowledge, skills, and traditions to the next generation. Learn more about this program here.

* Experience in construction trades is desirable but not required.

* Full day hours between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.is required.


Family Activities Area
 This area presents a variety of activities to help younger children engage with the Festival's contents through play, including games, blocks, touch exhibits, collaborative murals, etc. Managing supplies and interfacing with visitors and families are the key responsibilities.

* Experience in the field of early education is preferred but not required.

* Full day hours between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.is required.


Foodways

Foodways demonstrations provide a very sensual venue for examining celebrations as well as the everyday life of a family, a community, or a region. We learn about techniques, utensils, aesthetics, and codes of behavior in the way cooks prepare and present dishes.
* Previous kitchen/food prep experience required.

* Full day hours between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.is required.


Fundraising Support

Many people do not know that the Smithsonian relies on private support to conduct research, mount major exhibitions, and run its signature programs like the Folklife Festival. Join us to build that critical support on the mall for theFestival this summer. Cheerful, outgoing, engaging volunteers needed to raise small donations using a contactless handheld device (Tip Tap Pay). Volunteers will be stationed in pairs throughout theFestival site encouraging the public to donate to theFestival. Training and an orientation will be provided, including FAQs with support from a Smithsonian advancement professional.
*This position requires the use of technology and engaging visitors in conversation.


Learning Together
 Some items that are essential to work, and folklife can only be made by hand. Come learn how some of these crafts are made, including luthiers making stringed instruments, weavers making traditional cloth and clothing, and Western crafts of saddle making, leatherwork, and silverwork (and roping demonstrations!). Learn more about this program here.

* Experience in the above-mentioned trades is desirable but not required.

* Full day hours between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.is required.


Museum of Contemporary American Teenagers
 Through art, performances, and interactive activities, MoCAT's mission is to honor teenage creativity and expression, challenge stereotypes, and empower teens to reclaim their stories. At the Festival, teens will present performances, discussions, and demonstrations that explore topics as varied as "third spaces," social media, fashion, slang, and coming of age. Learn more about this program here.

* Experience in the field of education is desirable but not required.

* Full day hours between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.is required.


Native Language Reclamation
 Language is a vital resource in the toolkit for young people shaping their future and the future of their peoples and communities. This program features four groups representing different languages, regions, and ways of life and learning. Each will have engaging cultural demonstrations, including daily lacrosse sessions, exploring what connects them to their cultures and motivates them to learn their languages. Learn more about this program here.

* Experience in native languages/culture is desirable but not required.

* Full day hours between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.is required.


Participant Hospitality
 Distinguished Presenters from across the United States and around the world come to Washington, DC to make the Festival come alive. Volunteers help to maintain the area where these Participants can prepare themselves for the day, receive their lunch and take a break.

* Experience in hospitality/customer service is desirable but not required.

* Full day hours between 10:00 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. may be required.


Streetwise Skating and Skate Arts
 The Festival's Streetwise activities and presentations showcase the creativity with which young people, past and present, express their connections to the public spaces they inhabit. Participants will present skating demonstrations, offer lessons, DJing, and live paint skate decks and murals. Learn more about this program here.

* Experience with skateboarding is required. In your application, outline any relevant experience or links to your work online, including Instagram, YouTube, personal website, etc.

* Full day hours between 10:00 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. may be required.


Streetwise Lowriders & Music Apprenticeship
 The Festival's Streetwise activities and presentations showcase the creativity with which young people, past and present, express their connections to the public spaces they inhabit. Participants will demonstrate the arts and techniques involved in customizing cars and bikes, creating murals and street art, and provide sidewalk sky-viewing events. Learn more about this program here.

Adjacent to Streetwise, the music program will present examples of the relationship between students and teachers, showing the multiple ways of teaching-learning created by different communities, including a music classroom, percussion, and recording studio workshops. Learn more about these programs here.
* Experience with the above-mentioned trades is desirable but not required.

* Full day hours between 10:00 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. may be required.


Sustainability

The Folklife Festival is the largest composting and recycling effort on the National Mall and the Sustainability Team helps visitors divert hundreds of tons of waste from landfills through the may Resource Recovery Stations around the Festival site.
* Experience in ecological or sustainability work is preferred.

* Full day hours between 10:00 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. may be required.


Visitor Services
 The Folklife Festival welcomes participants and visitors from across the United States and around the world to the National Mall. Volunteers are essential to making them feel welcome and informed about the Festival.

* Experience with customer service management is desirable but not required.

* Full day hours between 10:00 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. may be required.



REQUIRED SKILLS & ABILITIES:

  1. Friendly and comfortable interacting with the public
  2. Reliable and punctual
  3. Ability to work full day shifts as indicated in the heat is required
  4. Ability to lift up to 40lbs may be required
  5. Close-toed shoes and a water bottle are required
  6. A hat and sunscreen are strongly recommended
  7. A T-shirt and badge will be provided to each volunteer
  8. Applicants must be 18 years old or older
  9. Spanish language speakers are encouraged to apply
  10. Training to work with Minors is required
  11. Training appropriate to the tasks will be provided


Questions can be sent to FestivalVolunteer@si.edu.

Personal Information
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If under 18, give parent/guardian contact information here

Additional Information
Availability
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Education/Background
Volunteer Privacy Notice and Agreement
I have read and understand the Smithsonian's Volunteer Privacy Notice and I certify that the information contained in this application is correct to the best of my knowledge.
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