Lao Script (PC only)Every year from late June to early July, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival brings together practitioners of diverse cultural traditions to display their arts at the National Mall. This year, the Folklife Festival featured cultural traditions from the Mekong River, Northern Ireland and Virginia. This exhibit was one of the few opportunities for the cultures of Laos to share its cooking, weaving, dance and music with the greater American public.
Artisans showcase their diverse craft traditions of the Mekong region.
The products they produce are all handmade.
Laotian American volunteers played an integral part in the success of the Folklife Festival.
The beating of drums, chanting, singing, calling and dancing of the Mekong region beckons passersby.
To really experience the Mekong region, the audience participates in a dance repertoire, the Lamvong.
