U.S. Copyright Office to Participate in 2025 Smithsonian Folklife Festival

The U.S. Copyright Office will participate in the 2025 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, an annual summer festival that takes place on the National Mall in Washington, DC. This year’s theme, Youth and the Future of Culture, will engage visitors of all ages through creative hands-on activities and a moderated discussion.  

Enjoy copyright-themed activities at the festival’s Family Activities stage on July 2–3 and July 5–7 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. eastern time. The puppet show, Creativity and Copyright, will be presented on the Family Activities stage from noon to 12:10 p.m. and 3:00 to 3:10 p.m. on July 2–3 and July 5–7. The Office will moderate a panel, Artists at Work: Making a Living in Art and Culture, on Thursday, July 3, from 2:00 to 2:45 p.m. at the Olivia Cadaval Story Circle stage. 

For the full schedule, visit the festival’s website. The Smithsonian Folklife Festival, established in 1967, honors contemporary living cultural traditions and celebrates those who practice and sustain them. Produced annually by the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, the Festival has featured participants from all fifty states and more than a hundred countries. 

The festival opens Wednesday, July 2, and runs through Monday, July 7, along the National Mall on the Madison Avenue side, Seventh Street to 12th Street, and inside the Smithsonian’s Arts and Industries Building. There is no admission fee to the festival, and hours are from 11:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. eastern time each day, with featured concerts going later Thursday through Sunday.  

For more information about events hosted by the Copyright Office, visit Office’s website.