The Texas Folklife Festival is the Institute of Texan Cultures’ signature event. As the state’s largest keeper of Texas’ history, one of the Institute’s main objectives through the Festival is to promote cultural understanding among diverse groups and ensure the traditions that make Texas so great are preserved.

In addition to having fun, eating different cuisines and being entertained, visitors will have the opportunity to learn about the state’s many cultural traditions—and even participate in them. There will be a wide variety of traditional crafts including gunsmithing, making toys, tying knots, milking cows, making wine, carving wood, gunsmithing, stone masonry, chuck wagon cooking, making cowhide furniture, making rope, dolls and pottery, quilting and more.

In addition, visitors can participate in the following activities:

• A Hawaiian Luau
• Contra Dancing
• Hoedown
• Trick Roping
• Learn to Hambone
• Flimflam Concert

Preserving these cultural traditions is the mission of the Texas Folklife Festival. By bringing people together of different cultures and demonstrating Texas’ pioneering skills, we learn more about our history and how the past has influenced our lives today. So, go ahead and give them a try, you may find a hidden talent!