Northwest Folklife Festival returns this Memorial Day weekend

The Northwest Folklife Festival returns to the Seattle Center this Memorial Day weekend, featuring live music, storytelling, food, and art. The free (donations are encouraged) festival starts at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sunday, and Monday and ends at 10 p.m. (9 p.m. on Monday.)

“We invite you to dance with each other, make-believe with your inner (and in real life) kid, sing songs like no one (and everyone) is watching, and tend to the crops that will nurture you through the most trying of times,” Folklife wrote ahead of its 2023 festival. “That is the power of folk — that it compels us to share our stories as a beautiful reminder that we belong to each other.”

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The festival is broken down into several categories: Showcase, music, workshops, dancing and participatory dancing, storytelling/spoken word, film, participatory singing, cultural focus, and family fun — all occurring at various times on several stages. The neatly-outlined schedule for all of the events can be found here.

The event is run mostly by volunteers, with corporations, families, schools, and individuals all being able to contribute.

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“Central to the values of Northwest Folklife is for communities to have voice and agency in the representation of their cultural expressions,” the festival wrote on its website. “More than 150 Community Coordinators — including prominent artists, educators, culture bearers, and leaders throughout the region — work closely with Northwest Folklife to co-create and co-curate programs.”