Northwest Folklife Festival - Free Family Fun in Seattle During Memorial Day Weekend

Northwest Folklife was founded in 1972 to promote the unique cultural heritage of Pacific Northwest communities. Northwest Folklife carries out its mission in a variety of ways, most notably through the annual production of the free Northwest Folklife Festival. The 2007 festival will be held at the Seattle Center on Memorial Day weekend, May 25-28. With 25 stages and hundreds of performing groups, the Festival offers non-stop programming, all free to the public, for four days. There is plenty of space at the 72-acre Seattle Center to enjoy the festivities, play, dance, sing, taste, learn and participate.

The theme of the 2007 festival is Borderlands, to honor the vibrant traditions of communities on both sides of the international border between Washington State and British Columbia. You'll discover Dutch dancers, Sikh singers, Doukhobor woodcarvers, French-Canadian musicians, and more! Folklife brings together an estimated 250,000 visitors, 1,000 volunteers and more than 7,000 musicians, dancers, tradition bearers and visual artists.

The Festival, as it is simply called, also features

The Crafts Marketplace, with crafts made by 116 of the Northwest's finest artisans.

Film Festivalof around 25 films dealing with cultural issues. Frequently film-makers attend and introduce their work to the audience.

Hands-On Activities Area

The Musical Instrument Makers Showcase is and exhibit of music accessories and books, instrument repairers, and more by Northwest and West Coast artisans of handmade instruments.

The International Food Village tempts the palate with 35+ booths serving delicious international cuisine.

Street Performers, drumming groups, and other non-programmed participants perform along walkways and the Fountain Lawn. The Festival welcomes anyone to showcase their home-grown talent, and each performer is part of the Festival ambiance.And scattered through-out, Sidewalk Artists treat you to special personalized experiences, including face-painting, cartoon portraits, stick-on tattoos and more.