We'll also hear remarks from staff the Smithsonian and the National Park Service, including Secretary David Skorton, longtime Festival director Richard Kurin, and Festival co-founder Jim Morris.
The ceremony ends with a circus parade through the rest of the Festival grounds.
Run of Show:
* Procession: UniverSoul
* (Remarks) (Emcee) Michael Atwood Mason, Director, Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
* (Remarks) Smithsonian Secretary David Skorton
* (Remarks) National Park Service Superintendent Gay Vietzke
* (Performance) Circus Juventas Youth and Coaches
* (Remarks) Preston Scott, Circus Arts curator
* (Remarks) Istvan Ujhelyi, European Parliamentarian
* (Performance) Dolly Jacobs (Aerialist -- NEA Heritage Fellow)
* (Remarks) Deborah Walk, curator, Ringling Circus Museum
* (Performance) P.J. and Roy Hirabayashi (Taiko -- NEA Heritage Fellows)
* (Remarks) Sojin Kim, On the Move curator
* (Performance) Christylez Bacon, Progressive Hip-Hop Artist
* (Performance) Los Texmaniacs (Conjunto -- NEA Heritage Fellows)
* Fifty Years of Festival Video Presentation
* (Remarks) Richard Kurin, Acting Provost/Under Secretary for Museums and Research
* (Remarks) Jim Morris, co-founder, Smithsonian Folklife Festival
* (Remarks) Kurin presents gift to Morris
* (Remarks) Sabrina Lynn Motley, Director of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival
* (Remarks) Motley calls to stage Skorton, Kurin, Mason, Vietkze, McCollum, Morris and selected performers ceremonially open the festival
* Recessional
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