Thousands of people filled the streets of downtown Jackson to take in the sights, sounds and tastes of the 82nd National Folk Festival. The event took place Friday through Sunday, featuring performers in a wide range of musical genres, plus visual arts and food. The National Council for the Traditional Arts works with host communities to produce the festival around the country, and this was the first one in the Deep South. Jackson will host the 83rd and 84th National Folk Festivals in 2026 and 2027. Organizers intend for this to lead to a locally produced festival after the three-year run of the national event.
Mississippi Today is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) news and media company with a forward-facing mission of civic engagement and public dialog through service journalism, live events and digital outreach. Our newsroom is dedicated to providing Mississippians with reporting that inspires active interest in their state and equips them to engage in community life. Mississippi Today’s news stories are republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Latest posts by Mississippi Today (see all)
- UMMC revenue tumbled after February cyberattack - March 21, 2026
- NCAA women’s basketball tourney: Lattimore leads balanced attack as Ole Miss defeats Gonzaga 81-66 - March 20, 2026
- US Supreme Court revives Mississippi lawsuit from evangelical Christian challenging restrictions on demonstrations - March 20, 2026