Just Folks

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Friday, June 22, 2007

Just Folks

The 41st annual Smithsonian Folklife

Festival, America's national celebration of folk culture around the world, opens Wednesday on the Mall. Music, talks, crafts demonstrations, exhibits and sales by

specialty food vendors continue daily

(except July 2-3) through July 8. Admission is free. This year's major themes are

"Mekong River: Connecting Cultures," "Northern Ireland at the Smithsonian" and "Roots of Virginia Culture." A highlight is the Ralph Rinzler Memorial Concert on June 29 at 6, honoring the late festival director and featuring Liz Carroll & John Doyle, John Cephas & Phil Wiggins, David & Michael Doucet, Mitchell Reed and Nancy Sweezy.

SMITHSONIAN FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL Wednesday through July 1 and July 4-8 from 11 to 5:30, and concerts most evenings from 5:30 to 8, on the Mall

between Seventh and 14th streets (Metro: Smithsonian). 202-633-1000 (TDD: 202-633-5285) orhttp://www.folklife.si.edu.

Opera at Wolf Trap

The Wolf Trap Opera Company sings at Wolf Trap National Park's Filene Center and the intimate Barns this week:

The company is restaging its hit 2004 world premiere production of "Volpone," John Musto and Mark Campbell's adaptation "unfaithfully" based on the Ben

Jonson comedy, opening Friday at the Barns. Volpone is an elderly man who tricks his greedy friends into giving him expensive gifts in hopes of being mentioned in his will. Tickets cost $58.

"VOLPONE" Friday and June 29 at 8 and Sunday and July 1 at 2 at the Barns at Wolf Trap, 1635 Trap Rd., Vienna. For tickets, 877-965-3872, for information, 703-255-1868 orhttp://www.wolftrap.org.

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