A week ago, the National Folk Festival launched its first of three iterations to take place in Jackson, Mississippi. The free, three-day event featured more than 300 performing artists representing many genres of music, dance, craft exhibitions and other attractions—drawing crowds of people from across the state and nation. The festival’s three-year residency ends in 2027, and this year’s festivities provided some insights as to what’s to come in 2026 and 2027.

Browse the photo gallery below for a glimpse of last weekend’s celebrations.

Mayor John Horhn speaks on stage at night
Jackson Mayor John Horhn introduced the 82nd National Folk Festival while on stage in downtown Jackson on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025. Photo by Scott M. Crawford
Two Korean performers sit on the ground and play drums as a woman in traditional Korean dress sits behind and listens on
The Korean Performing Arts Institute of Chicago performed both pungmul and samulnori styles of drumming and dance during the National Folk Festival held in Jackson, Miss., from Nov. 7 to Nov. 9, 2025. Photo by Scott M. Crawford
Jackson State University's Sonic Boom band marches through downtown Jackson at night as crowds watch on
Jackson State University’s Sonic Boom of the South marching band paraded through downtown Jackson to help kick off the National Folk Festival on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025. Photo by Scott M. Crawford
A woman sings in the microphone on stage as a band plays all around her with various instruments
The Frank London’s Klezmer Brass Allstars band, musicians who came together as a brass band after meeting in New York City’s Knitting Factory bar, performed at the National Folk Festival in Jackson, Miss., on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025. Photo by Scott M. Crawford
A man in a burgundy circus ringleader outfit holds his hands out wide before the flea circus
The 82nd National Folk Festival included performances from the ACME miniature flea circus, as seen in this Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, photo. Photo by Scott M. Crawford
A man sits on stage and plays guitar
The Campbell Brothers, a sacred steel gospel group from Rush, New York, performed on opening night of the National Folk Festival in Jackson, Miss., on Nov. 7, 2025. Photo by Scott M. Crawford
Men in matching black tshirts dance together outside of the Governor's mansion in downtown Jackson
Leaving Legacies demonstrated krump dancing, a form of street dance originating from Los Angeles, outside the governor’s mansion in downtown Jackson, Miss., during the 82nd National Folk Festival. Photo by Scott M. Crawford
Crowds walk around the vendor section of the National Folk Festival in downtown Jackson
The National Folk Festival included a vendor section that stretched through downtown Jackson, Miss. Photo by Scott M. Crawford
A man and a woman stand inside an art booth filled with engraved wood designs
One vendor booth at the National Folk Festival held between Nov. 7 and Nov. 9, 2025, included artworks made using engraved wood. Here, off-duty Mississippi Free Press Culture Reporter Aliyah Veal patronizes the tent on Saturday. Photo by Kristin Brenemen, Mississippi Free Press
Bobby Rush performs on stage, a sign for the National Folk Festival visible behind him
Award-winning blues artist and Mississippi native Bobby Rush performed at the 82nd National Folk Festival on opening day, Nov. 7, 2025. Photo by Kristin Brenemen, Mississippi Free Press
A line of Choctaw performers dance in the intersection of Capitol Street for a festival
A group of Choctaw performers from the Oka Homma Alla Hilha Alhiha social-dancing group from Redwater, Miss., demonstrated a dance in an intersection of Capitol Street in Jackson, Miss., as part of the National Folk Festival on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025. Photo by Scott M. Crawford
A woman plays a violin as a man beside her plays an accordion, and another woman is visible with a keyboard behind them both
On Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, Eileen Ivers played the violin at the National Folk Festival while a male bandmate played the accordion beside her and a woman played keys behind them both. Photo by Kristin Brenemen, Mississippi Free Press
A man blows glass in a hot kiln outside at a vendor's booth
A glassblower with a booth set up at the National Folk Festival in Jackson, Miss., demonstrates his craft on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025. Photo by Kristin Brenemen, Mississippi Free Press
Two women, one in all orange and one in purple, sing on stage
Vitamin Cea, DevMacc and Phingaprint all took the stage on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, during the Hip Hop Showcase that was part of the larger National Folk Festival held in Jackson, Miss. Photo by Scott M. Crawford
Men in matching black shirts stand around an older woman with a walker, everyone clapping
Festivalgoers join the Leaving Legacies in some joyous dancing on the streets of downtown Jackson, Miss., during the National Folk Festival on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025. Photo by Scott M. Crawford
Three men in suits play guitars on stage
Tres en Punto, a trío romántico from Mission, Texas, performed at the National Folk Festival in Jackson, Miss., on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. Photo by Scott M. Crawford
Rows of vendor tents can be seen in the road in downtown Jackson at dusk
As evening stretched over downtown Jackson on Saturday night, festivalgoers continued to patronize the vendors who set up shop at the National Folk Festival held from Nov. 7 to Nov. 9, 2025. Photo by Kristin Brenemen, Mississippi Free Press

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Dr. Crawford uses a power wheelchair for mobility due to progressive multiple sclerosis and can no longer drive. He experiences frequent flash flooding from Eubanks’ Creek in Jackson, inundating his crawlspace and threatening his home. Repeated flash flooding cuts off his house for hours at a time and damages his neighbor’s homes and vehicles.

Creative Director Kristin Brenemen, a local to Jackson, Miss., is a polychromatic art fiend and designer with two decades of professional creative experience. Kristin is responsible for the evolving visual style of the Mississippi Free Press, maintains and designs the MFP website, and oversees graphics, photography, project design and cat herding.