300 artists expected at Jackson folk festival

The 83rd National Folk Festival runs Friday through Sunday in downtown Jackson, with free performances, dance, storytelling, crafts, food and family activities across the city. More than 300 artists will perform, and the festival brings together traditions ranging from Choctaw and other Indigenous cultures to African American, Hawaiian and U.S. Virgin Islands folk arts, alongside genres such as blues, hip-hop and country. Choctaw dance group Mystic Winds will share its community’s traditions and connection to Mississippi, as the festival also recognizes the nation’s 250th anniversary. Organizers are seeking volunteers, while visitors can use free JTRAN buses and festival shuttles from the Mississippi State Fairgrounds; road closures and detours are expected downtown.