Opening Ceremony for 2010 Smithsonian Folklife Festival

WASHINGTON, June 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being released by the Smithsonian Institution:

WHAT:       Opening ceremony of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival

WHEN:        Thursday, June 24

10:30 a.m. – noon (performances begin at 10:30 a.m.; remarks begin at 11 a.m.)

WHERE:        Asian Fusions stage on the National Mall

SPEAKERS:        Daniel Sheehy, director, Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, Smithsonian

Richard Kurin, Under Secretary for History, Art, and Culture, Smithsonian

Honorable Arturo Sarukhan, ambassador, Embassy of Mexico

Honorable Fernando Serrano Migallon, secretary of Culture and the Arts, National Center for Culture and the Arts

Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii)

Rep. Michael M. Honda (D-Calif.)

John W. Piltzecker, superintendent, National Mall and Memorial Parks

MUSIC:        Performances by Smithsonian Folklife Festival participants

The Smithsonian Folklife Festival, held outdoors on the National Mall from June 24 to June 28 and July 1 to July 5, will feature three programs, "Asian Pacific Americans: Local Live, Global Ties," "Mexico" and "Smithsonian Inside and Out."

The Festival opens to the public at noon Thursday, June 24, following the opening ceremony. Members of the media are welcome to accompany speakers as they tour the Festival programs.

Festival hours are from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with concerts, dance parties and special events extending into most evenings.

SOURCE Smithsonian Institution