Simplified: The fourth annual "All My Relatives" Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ Festival was selected to participate in The Smithsonian "Festival of Festivals" as part of the institution's celebration of American culture and recognizing the country's 250th anniversary.

Why it matters

  • This isn't the first time the Smithsonian has partnered with the Levitt at the Falls. The two institutions partnered up in 2022 for the Innoskate events in both Pine Ridge and Sioux Falls. And, prior to that, Levitt at the Falls President and CEO Nancy Halverson had worked with the Smithsonian on an Innoskate project at her previous role in South Carolina.
  • For nearly 60 years, the annual Folklife festival was held in Washington, D.C., but this year, the Smithsonian is taking it on the road. Nationally, the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage selected approximately 40 festivals – including All My Relatives – to participate in the broader effort to celebrate America's 250th anniversary.
  • Halverson's continued relationship with the folks at the Smithsonian helped spur the collaboration with the All My Relatives festival, which initially started in 2023 in partnership with South Dakota State University to recognize and celebrate Native American excellence.
"When a national organization like the Smithsonian rings your doorbell, that's a really big deal," Halverson said. "It validates what you're doing, and you just get to play at a higher level. It elevates and expands the mission, which is a really exciting thing."

Tell me more

It's too soon to announce the musical headliners for the festival – that'll come with the Levitt's full season reveal at the end of this month.

But, what is known so far is that the festival will include a kid-friendly performance in the morning, followed by a drum circle and opportunities for cultural education, as well as a fashion show featuring Native American designers.

  • The night will end with "very popular national artists," Halverson said, sharing that it'll include co-headliners that were made possible with financial support from the Smithsonian.
“The 250th anniversary is a time to celebrate our extraordinary cultural democracy, to visit with the people, places, and traditions within it, and to contemplate our shared future,” said Clifford Murphy, director of the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.

In addition to the activities at the Levitt, the Smithsonian partnership will also enable the headliners to do a show on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

  • That'll include opportunities for some youth from Pine Ridge to come to Sioux Falls for the full festival, and – as they did in Innoskate – they might even get a chance to show off their skateboarding skills, Halverson said.

What happens next?

The festival headliners are expected to be announced at the end of the month, and the festival itself is scheduled to take place Aug. 29.

Learn more here about the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and other partner festivals happening across the country this year.