National Folk Festival preview event coming to Jackson on Saturday

Blaine Wade, the executive director of the National Council for the Traditional Arts, the non-profit that organizes the festival, says the goal for this Mississippi iteration is to balance bringing new traditions to Jackson and honoring the state's existing culture.  

“The world is coming to Jackson,” Wade said. “These traditions that are passed down across the generations, All of those make up America as we should be thinking about it. They collectively define us as a nation, as a people, as a culture.”

Jackson competed with 42 other cities for the opportunity to host the 2025 through 2027 festivals and won. The festivals are expected to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors and generate over $60 million in economic activity. 

The festival has a history of helping revitalize the downtowns of host cities, according to Wade. He says Lowell, Massachusetts is an example of one host that's now thriving after a period of economic decline caused by the loss of population and industry like Jackson has seen. 

“Where the festival has thrived, it's in communities that need a signature arts event,” Wade said. “Something to really point to as this is the biggest thing we do. And I think that's something where there's a real need in Jackson.”

Though it'll be nearly a year before Jackson's first folk festival, a free kickoff program is being held on Saturday to preview what's coming.  It'll include things like salsa dancing and blues music. A schedule for Saturday’s kickoff can be found on the festival’s website.