National Council for the Traditional Arts Announces Nationwide Search for the Next National Folk Festival Host City
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RFP review begins on August 3rd; RSVP for informational webinars to learn more
Webinars to be held on Wednesday, May 20, at 1:30 pm ET and Thursday, May 28, at 1:30 pm ET.
Silver Spring, MD - April 14, 2026 - From its very first iteration in 1934, the National Folk Festival has hosted hundreds of the nation’s finest musicians, dancers, craftspeople, and other keepers of culture in towns and cities from Massachusetts to Montana. Produced by the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA), the National is the nation’s longest-running traditional arts event, drawing over 100,000 attendees throughout each year’s free, large-scale, three-day outdoor event, and it's time for the search to begin for the National’s new home in 2028-2030.
As cities nationwide explore how to make their downtowns into go-to destinations, hosting the National Folk Festival is a unique opportunity for motivated communities to secure a transformative celebration for their residents for years to come, not just in music and art, but with children’s activities, savory regional and international cuisines, participatory dancing, parades, and much more. Not only does the festival deliver lasting social, cultural, and economic benefits to the host city; it also creates a new sense of what is possible to achieve when the entire community works toward a common goal.
Jackson, Mississippi, is the current host city of the National, now in the second year of their three-year stint. “Everywhere you looked, people were smiling, singing, and enjoying themselves. I loved hearing so many different genres of music, each one telling its own story and showing the depth of our culture,” said John Horhn, Mayor, City of Jackson, about their first year hosting. “It was a weekend filled with joy, talent, and community pride, and I couldn’t be prouder of what we accomplished as a city.”
Is your town the right fit for the National Folk Festival? Applications are now open to become the National’s next host city. Please refer to the information below to begin the application process, or read our new Hosting the National Folk Festival brochure to get a better idea of how it works.
“80,000 visitors hail Bangor debut… the once-neglected strip of riverside property exploded with a vibrancy that locals only could have dreamed of years before…a magical moment, elevating both spirits and pride as the community proved it really was capable of pulling off an event of such grand scale.”
- Bangor Daily News re: Bangor, ME (host of 64th-66th festival)
“The National Folk Festival’s 2010 audience grew by more than 94 percent over 2008 to 165,000… causing local and statewide tourism impacts… $12 million for the Butte community and area, and another $20 million in direct statewide sales during four-day travel period.”
- Mainstreet Uptown Butte re: Butte, MT (host of 70th-72nd festival)
What: Become the host city for the 85th, 86th, and 87th National Folk Festivals from 2028 to 2030! Click here to apply.
Why: Past National Folk Festival cities have repeatedly reported tens of millions in economic impact. The festival is an economic and cultural powerhouse that unites communities in renewing civic pride, strengthening collaborations, and spurring investments in community infrastructure.
How: The host city search, a nationally competitive process, has begun. Submit a letter of intent to apply to the NCTA by July 1, and an RFP by August 3. Register today for a webinar to learn more about how to submit a compelling bid and be selected to host this nationally acclaimed event. Webinars will be held Wednesday, May 20 at 1:30pm ET and Thursday, May 28 at 1:30pm ET.
Who: Enthusiastic and motivated civic and community leaders—populations of 50,000 to 500,000, give or take—seeking their next signature investment in the quality of life of their community as it looks to its future. Successful bid packages will describe a partnership that includes early buy-in from city administration, economic and downtown development, tourism, heads of local nonprofits, leaders of the local arts, culture, and philanthropic communities, media outlets, state arts councils, and other key stakeholders. An existing public transit system, bus or train, is a plus. Serious proposals to host the National demonstrate past fundraising successes, and include commitments to the host community for at least one-third of the approximately $1.6M festival budget at the time of application.
Want to know more? Check out the “Hosting the National Folk Festival” brochure. Information sessions about the festival and the RFP process will be held throughout the spring and summer ahead of the July 1 intent-to-apply deadline; register here for a webinar. If you need immediate assistance, please email festivals@ncta-usa.org.
Ready to apply?
Click here to download the RFP. All applications are due by August 3rd.
About the National Folk Festival: Since it was first presented in St. Louis in 1934, the National Folk Festival, the National Council for the Traditional Arts’ flagship event, has celebrated the roots, richness, and variety of American culture. Championed in its early years by Eleanor Roosevelt, it was the first event of national stature to present the artistic traditions of all Americans on equal footing. It was also the first to present to the public musical forms such as the blues, Cajun music, polka, Tex-Mex conjunto, Peking Opera, and many others. Today, the National is an exuberant traveling festival, produced by the NCTA in partnership with communities around the country, from Maine, Maryland, and Massachusetts, to Michigan, Montana, Ohio, and Virginia, that embraces the many cultural expressions that define us as a people in the 21st century. www.nationalfolkfestival.com
About the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA): A leading non-profit in the field, the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA) is dedicated to the presentation and documentation of folk and traditional arts in the U.S. Stressing excellence and traditionality, the NCTA strives to expand awareness of the richness of America’s multicultural, living heritage through exciting, thoughtfully curated live programs that create dynamic cultural encounters between the nation’s finest artists and the public. It works in partnership with communities across America to establish new, sustainable traditional arts events that deliver lasting social, cultural, and economic benefits. Over 7,000 hours of the NCTA’s archival audio recordings dating from the 1930s are permanently housed at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. The NCTA also champions the interests of folk and traditional artists and organizations in the arena of public policy. ncta-usa.org
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Questions? IVPR/Maria Ivey, maria@ivpr.com and Allison Mahal, allison@IVPR.com, or festivals@ncta-usa.org
