Jackson will soon make history as Mississippi’s first city to host the National Folk Festival — the country’s longest-running traditional arts event.
As a teaser before activities ramp up in just under a month, the National Folk Festival has released its complete 2025 performance schedule and stage locations. For its 82nd edition, the event will feature more than 300 performers, demonstrators, and artisans on six stages and other areas of downtown Jackson from Nov. 7-9.
Legendary Mississippi bluesman Bobby Rush and Jackson State University’s nationally-acclaimed Sonic Boom of the South marching band will serve as two of the three-day extravaganza’s headliners. Along with Mississippi-based talents, music acts will be performed by artists from Massachusetts, New York, Kentucky, Louisiana, Illinois, Texas, Montana, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
“After nearly 18 months of work, we are tremendously pleased to share the full picture of world-class artists performing on stages across downtown Jackson,” said Blaine Waide, executive director of the National Council for the Traditional Arts, the nonprofit organization co-producing the festival with the City of Jackson. “Audiences will find the breadth of cultures and performers dizzying. What is a folk festival? It’s all this, and more — and it’s all free!”
The celebration will kick off on Fri., Nov. 7, at 6 p.m. with a performance by The Campbell Brothers. At 6:45 p.m., the Sonic Boom of the South will lead the opening parade, taking festival attendees from one stage to another. Festival organizers will officially open the festival at 7:15 p.m. Three stages will be running on Friday night.
Beginning at noon on Saturday, Nov. 8, all six outdoor stages, plus street performance areas, and the City With Soul Mississippi Folklife Demonstration Area, will entertain through 9:30 p.m., with some venues closing between 5 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday festival hours are noon through 6 p.m. Marketplace and food vendors will open an hour before the festival starts each day.
The full list of venues and their locations can be found below.
The Ergon/Alliant Stage: The intersection of Capitol and State Streets, in front of the Old Capitol Museum.
The Visit Mississippi Stage: On Capitol Street between Lamar and Farish Streets.
The State Street Group Stage: A large, covered venue at the intersection of Yazoo and President Streets.
The Welcome to Jackson Dance Pavilion: In front of the “Gateway to Downtown” at Pearl and State Streets.
The Community Foundation for Mississippi/W.K. Kellogg Foundation Family Stage: In Smith Park at Amite and Congress Streets.
The C Spire Foundation | Regions Bank Family Activities Area: In Smith Park.
The Mississippi Folklife Stage: At Amite and State Streets, on the Old Capitol Museum Green.
The City With Soul Mississippi Folklife Demonstration Area: Located throughout the Old Capitol Museum Green.
The LocaliQ/Clarion Ledger Festival Marketplace: In front of the Governor’s Mansion on Capitol Street.
Street performance areas: At Capitol and Congress Streets, and near the family area at Amite and West Streets.
A full schedule of performances taking place at this year’s event can be found here. The National Folk Festival was founded in 1934 and championed by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in its early years for its role in highlighting the roots, richness, and variety of American culture. Jackson will be home to the festival until 2027.
Throughout the three-year residency, the National Folk Festival is expected to draw over 330,000 visitors to Mississippi’s capital city while generating $60 million in economic impact.