SLC.gov

March 12, 2026

The Living Traditions Festival is excited to announce its participation in Of the People: The Smithsonian Festival of Festivals, a series of programs and exchanges marking the 250th anniversary of the United States showcasing the nation’s remarkable cultural landscape. These programs bring the spirit of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival—the institution’s largest and longest-running event—to approximately 40 community festivals across the nation including the Living Traditions Festival. 

“Living Traditions is one of our City’s best festivals,” said Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall. “It reflects who we are—a place of incredibly diverse and beautiful communities—and it preserves cultural traditions through music, dance, food, and crafts. Living Traditions reminds us of what binds us together.” 

Celebrating the 40th annual festival in 2026, the Living Traditions Festival is a three-day multicultural festival produced by the Salt Lake City Arts Council in partnership with the Utah Division of Arts & Museums. Presenting live music, dance, crafts, and foodways, Living Traditions supports the preservation of diverse traditions and perspectives. The festival is taking place May 15-17 at Salt Lake City’s Civic Center, 422 S. 200 East, and is free to attend.  

“The Salt Lake City Arts Council is honored to collaborate with the Smithsonian Folklife Festival as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Living Traditions Festival and America’s 250th,” said Salt Lake City Arts Council Director Felicia Baca. “As Utah’s first community to receive Welcoming America’s Certified Welcoming designation, Salt Lake City is committed to creating a place where everyone feels they belong. Through art and cultural traditions, we hope the festival fosters connection and a sense of belonging for all who attend.” 

The Smithsonian’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, which produces the Folklife Festival, is collaborating with many festivals around the country, including the Living Traditions Festival. The Center is working with the Salt Lake City Arts Council to design activities reflecting the voices, stories, and aspirations of our community. 

“The 250th anniversary is a time to celebrate our extraordinary cultural democracy, to visit with the people, places and traditions within it, and to contemplate our shared future,” said Clifford Murphy, director of the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. “By taking the Folklife Festival beyond Washington, we recommit to our original purpose to take the Smithsonian beyond objects and buildings; we also carry out our mission to connect communities across cultures–cultivating curiosity, understanding, and belonging for all people.”  

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About the Living Traditions Festival 

Produced by the Salt Lake City Arts Council in partnership with the Utah Division of Arts & Museums, the Living Traditions Festival is a three-day multicultural festival. The Festival supports the preservation of culturally diverse traditions, perspectives, and communities through the presentation of traditional music, dance, crafts, food, and more. We aim to facilitate understanding and belonging amongst communities through varied Utah-based programming and partnerships. 

About Salt Lake City Arts Council 

The mission of the Arts Council is to promote, present, and support artists, arts organizations, and arts activities in order to further the development of the arts community and to benefit the public by expanding awareness, access, and participation.  

About the Smithsonian Folklife Festival 

The Smithsonian Folklife Festival, inaugurated in 1967, honors the contemporary living cultural traditions and celebrates those who practice and sustain them. Produced annually by the Smithsonian’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, the festival has featured participants from all 50 states and more than 100 countries.