National Folk Festival returns to Jackson with free music from 13 to 15 November

The National Folk Festival returns to downtown Jackson, Mississippi, from 13 to 15 November 2026, with free admission. Its newly released schedule brings Filipino string music, Iraqi oud, Afro-Colombian rhythms, Mississippi blues and more to stages around Capitol Street. The bill includes Eddie Cotton Jr. and Cedric Burnside alongside the visiting artists.

For newcomers, the programme offers a way to meet the cultural communities that shape American life through their music, food and traditions. You can watch a short set, try a dance lesson or spend the day moving between performances.

The organisers announced the full schedule on 7 October. This is the festival’s second year in Jackson, which is hosting it from 2025 to 2027. Read the official announcement.

When and where is the National Folk Festival?

• Friday 13 November: 6pm–9.30pm.
• Saturday 14 November: noon–9.30pm.
• Sunday 15 November: noon–6pm.
• Location: downtown Jackson, with stages along Capitol Street and nearby spaces, including Smith Park.
• Admission: free. Food, drinks and merchandise cost extra.

All times are local to Jackson: Central Standard Time (CST, UTC−6). Food and merchandise vendors open at 5pm on Friday and 11am on Saturday and Sunday. These are the organiser’s published event hours; individual sets have their own times.

Three musical traditions to explore

Rondalla Club of Los Angeles performs Filipino music on plucked string instruments. The group carries a tradition heard at weddings, cultural nights and community celebrations into its life in the United States.

The Albuquerque-based Rahim AlHaj Trio plays Iraqi music. AlHaj’s instrument, the oud, is a short-necked, fretless lute. His work draws on his homeland and the experience of starting again abroad.

Rebolú, based in Queens and Tampa, performs Afro-Colombian music from Colombia’s Caribbean coast. The band sings in Spanish and combines Indigenous, African and Western instruments.

A simple plan for a first visit

On Saturday, choose either Rondalla Club of Los Angeles at noon on the Ergon/Alliant Stage or the Rahim AlHaj Trio at noon on the Visit Mississippi Stage. Both sets run until 12.45pm, so do not plan to see them in full back-to-back.

Rebolú plays the StateStreet Group Dance Pavilion from 4.15pm to 5.15pm. If you stay into the evening, Mavis Staples is scheduled on the Ergon/Alliant Stage from 8.30pm to 9.30pm.

Friday offers an earlier introduction: Cedric Burnside and Rising Stars Fife & Drum start at 6pm, followed by an opening parade at 6.45pm that visitors can join. Check the live running order before travelling.

What can families do?

The Family Area at Smith Park combines hands-on crafts and games with performances. The programme includes puppetry, West African drumming and Vietnamese lion dance. The activities are free, so families can explore without buying a separate entertainment ticket.

Getting there and accessibility

The organiser lists free parking at the southwest corner of the Mississippi State Fairgrounds, near Jefferson and Madison streets, with a limited-capacity accessible shuttle to the festival. Paid garages and public lots are also available downtown.

JTRAN buses are scheduled to be free on Friday 13 and Saturday 14 November, with extended evening service. There is no JTRAN service on Sunday. Check the transport page for shuttle times, stop locations and the final bus home.

According to the festival’s access guidance, stages and activity areas accommodate mobility devices. Guest Services can identify performances with sign-language interpretation. The festival is outdoors: check weather updates and follow staff instructions if severe conditions develop.

One separate event is ticketed

The Thacker Mountain Radio Hour show at Hal and Mal’s on Thursday 12 November is a separate paid event. It starts at 7pm, with doors at 6pm; the announced prices are US$15 in advance and US$20 at the door. That charge does not apply to the free outdoor festival on 13–15 November.

Programme and practical details checked on 24 October 2026. Check the organiser’s website before setting out.

Archive image: Eddie Cotton Jr. at the National Folk Festival in Salisbury, Maryland, 2019. Photo: © Edwin Remsberg.