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<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:6.0pt;text-align:center;
page-break-after:avoid;punctuation-wrap:simple;text-autospace:none'><b><font
size=4 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:
Calibri;color:#1F497D;font-weight:bold'>Smithsonian Folklife Festival
Accessible to All<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in;line-height:18.5pt;punctuation-wrap:
simple;text-autospace:none'><font size=4 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:#1F497D'>The Smithsonian
Institution is committed to making the annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival
accessible and enjoyable for all visitors. The 2009 Festival features
“Giving Voice: The Power of Words in African American Culture,”
“<img width=1 height=14 id="_x0000_i1025"
src="cid:image001.gif@01C9E947.CAA06970" border=0>Las Américas: Un mundo
musical” (“The Americas: A Musical World”) and “Wales
Smithsonian Cymru.” <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in;line-height:18.5pt;punctuation-wrap:
simple;text-autospace:none'><font size=4 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:#1F497D'>The 10-day Festival,
held outdoors on the National Mall between Seventh and 14th streets, will be
from Wednesday, June 24 through Sunday, June 28 and Wednesday, July 1 through
Sunday, July 5. Admission is free. Festival hours are from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
each day, with concerts, special events and dance parties extending into most
evenings. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in;line-height:18.5pt;punctuation-wrap:
simple;text-autospace:none'><font size=4 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:#1F497D'>Visitors with
disabilities who need assistance are advised to report to the Information
kiosks located at various points around the Festival site or to the Volunteer
tent located in the Festival Services area near the Smithsonian Metrorail
station’s Mall exit. Large-print versions of the Festival’s daily
schedule and food concession menus will be available. The Festival program book
is available on CD and in other formats upon request. A limited number of
wheelchairs also will be available at the Volunteer tent for loan.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:18.5pt;punctuation-wrap:simple;
text-autospace:none'><font size=4 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:#1F497D'>
American Sign Language interpreters will be on site and may be requested in the
Volunteer tent. The Festival schedule indicates which performances and
presentations are interpreted. A verbal-description and tactile tour is
scheduled for June 25th at 11:00 am for visitors who are blind or have low
vision; reservations may be made by e-mailing access@si.edu. Other modes of
interpretation may be provided if a reservation is made at least two weeks in
advance by calling (202) 633-2921 (voice) or by e-mailing access@si.edu. All
music stage locations are equipped with audio loops. The Smithsonian Folklife
Festival welcomes all service animals. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'><font size=4 color="#1f497d"
face=Calibri><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Calibri;color:#1F497D;
layout-grid-mode:line'>The Smithsonian Folklife Festival, inaugurated in 1967,
honors people from across the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United
States</st1:place></st1:country-region> and around the world. With
approximately 1 million visitors each year, the Festival unites presenters and
performers in the nation’s capital to celebrate the diversity of cultural
traditions. It is produced by the Smithsonian’s Center for Folklife and
Cultural Heritage and co-sponsored by the National Park Service. The
Festival’s Web site is <u>http://www.festival.si.edu</u>.</span></font><font
size=4 color="#1f497d" face=Calibri><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:
Calibri;color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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