On June 25th, President Toure will officially open the Mali program. All the events are free and open to the public.
Masons from Timbuktu and Djenne have already arrived in D.C. and are building replicas of the Thiam house in Segou and the Djenne city portal. A Tuareg tent and a Sonrai mat house will also be erected on site. The festival features a full program of crafts, cuisine, and music from every region. Crafts include weaving to healing and blacksmithing to karite butter making.
There are two Malian music stages with performances all day long from 11 to 5:30 pm including performances by groups from Timbucktu to the Wassalou. There will also be three evening concerts (6:30 -9:00 pm). On Saturday, June 28th, Oumou Sangare and the Ensemble Instrumental du Mali will take the stage. On Wednesday July 2nd, Salif Keita and Neba Solo will perform. On Saturday July 6th, Ali Farka Toure and Kanaga will rock out.
Complementing the festival will be a film program featuring Malian films and filmmakers that will be held in the Baird auditorium, Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian which is located adjacent to the festival site.
The festival is a joint effort between Mali and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and the planning has involved the creative efforts of scores of people in Mali and the United States.