Smithsonian Folklife Festival Accessible to Visitors with Disabilities

The Smithsonian Institution is committed to making the annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival accessible and enjoyable for visitors with disabilities. The 2014 Festival features “China: Tradition and the Art of Living” and “Kenya: Mambo Poa.”

The Festival will be held Wednesday, June 25, through Sunday, June 29, and Wednesday, July 2, through Sunday, July 6, outdoors on the National Mall between Seventh and 14th streets. Admission is free. Festival hours are from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. each day, with special evening events beginning at 6 p.m. The Festival is co-sponsored by the National Park Service.

Visitors with disabilities who need assistance are advised to report to the Information booths located at various points around the Festival site or to the Volunteer tent located in the Festival Services area near the Smithsonian Metrorail station’s Mall exit. A large-print version of the Festival’s daily schedule and food concession menus will be available. The Festival schedule is also available in audio format. A limited number of wheelchairs will be available at the Volunteer tent for loan.

American Sign Language interpreters will be on site daily to interpret selected performances and presentations. An additional ASL interpreter is on site each day and can be reached via the Volunteer tent for visitors with requests beyond the scheduled events. Real-time captioning (CART) will be provided for selected performances and presentations. Refer to the online Festival schedule for the complete times and dates of ASL and CART services, or pick up an updated schedule of interpreted events from the Volunteer tent or Information booths.

Verbal-description and tactile tours are scheduled for Saturday, June 28, at 1 p.m. and Thursday, July 3, at 3 p.m. for visitors who are blind or have low vision. The Festival will open at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 28, to host “Morning at the Mall” with pre-visit materials for families with children with cognitive and sensory processing disabilities. Visitors interested should RSVP for both events by calling (202) 633-2921 or emailing access@si.edu.

All performance stages and narrative stages, the Flavors of Kenya stage and the Five Spice Kitchen are equipped with induction loops; receivers are available in each tent from a volunteer or Festival staff member. The Smithsonian Folklife Festival welcomes all service animals.

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SI-291-2014