Old Traditions/New Virginians Folklife Celebration

Explore the sights and sounds of the “New Old” traditions of migrants who have come to Virginia within the last 30 years. This Folklife Celebration features traditions as varied as Vietnamese đàn bầu music (a one-stringed instrument), the exquisitely colorful Guatemalan alfombra (sawdust carpet) and dance, Hindustani raga singing, a Bolivian tinku dance group, and a Mexican mariachi band, as well as craft displays and demonstrations. Food trucks will have treats for sale and beverages will be available for purchase. A collaboration of the Virginia Folklife Program of Virginia Humanities and the Library of Virginia, this vibrant, free event is one of the first public programs supporting the Library’s upcoming exhibition New Virginians: 1619–2019 and Beyond, which opens this December. The event also complements "Immigration in Virginia: Democracy, Diversity, and Opportunity," the Library's 2018 Anne and Ryland Brown Teacher Institute.