Smithsonian Folklife Festival - Peru

It's been a while since we took a walk on the mall. We returned from Florida two days ago and it's been raining non stop. It's great for the vegetables, but not much else. So we finally ventured out this morning to get back in to a routine. The usual summer tourist activity is well underway, with huge lines in front of the Air and Space museum. A couple weeks back we saw the construction crews putting up the guts for the upcoming Smithsonian Folklife Festival that is held every year around the Fourth of July. Usually it is closer to the Castle, but the turf restoration project has taken up a lot of green space. Usually there are three countries or cultures that are showcased, but this year there is only one - Peru. The festival is featured on the east end nearer to the Capitol, and has exhibits on either side of the mall. The center section has remained clear for the throngs of visitors who will flock to the Mall for the fireworks. We strolled through the grounds, and it was quite busy on a Sunday. Traditional sights included rope bridges, dances, music, art, textiles, colorful native costumes - and of course, food! This is one of the reasons we really like living in DC. There is always something to do. And for us, all we have to do is walk a couple of blocks to get there.