04/22/2026
Food Vendor Applications Now Open for 83rd National Folk Festival - Jackson, MS
The National Folk Festival is returning to Jackson, Mississippi, for the second year of its three-year residency. The 83rd National Folk Festival will take place in Downtown Jackson from November 13 – 15, 2026. The festival is now accepting vendor applications for food vendors for the food courts within the festival site. Downtown Jackson will come alive for three days of FREE outdoor music, non-stop dancing, family activities, storytelling, crafts demonstrations, parades, and so much more—don’t miss out on being part of a new Jackson experience. Vendor applications are available via the festival website.
Food Vendors
The National Folk Festival seeks food vendors that can provide high-quality, diverse, efficient, and friendly service to thousands of festivalgoers. The festival features a wide variety of regional foods, as well as classic festival fare that will take diners on a culinary journey around Mississippi, the United States, and the world.
Food vendors will be chosen for the following food vendor categories*:
Food specialties from across Mississippi and the Deep South
International flavors from the state and region
Snacks/Desserts
“Fair” foods
Other main dishes
Specialty beverages (limit 3)
*Note: All vendors will be given an opportunity to tell the committee reviewing applications about any specialty items on their menu. This is your opportunity to tell us what you do really well. This is especially important for vendors who have large menus that may cover multiple categories. We want to know what your specialty is!
Applicants MUST read through the Food Vendor Guidelines BEFORE they consider applying. The guidelines may be found and downloaded on the festival website at: https://www.nationalfolkfestival.com/food
About the National Folk Festival:
Since it was first presented in St. Louis in 1934, the National Folk Festival, the National Council for the Traditional Arts’ flagship event, has celebrated the roots, richness, and variety of American culture. Championed in its early years by Eleanor Roosevelt, it was the first event of national stature to present the artistic traditions of all Americans on equal footing. It was also the first to present to the public musical forms such as the blues, Cajun music, polka, Tex-Mex conjunto, Peking Opera, and many others. Today, the National is an exuberant traveling festival, produced by the NCTA in partnership with communities around the country, from Maine, Maryland, and Massachusetts, to Michigan, Montana, Ohio, and Virginia, that embraces the many cultural expressions that define us as a people in the 21st century. www.nationalfolkfestival.com
About the National Council for the Traditional Arts:
A leading non-profit in the field, the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA) is dedicated to the presentation and documentation of folk and traditional arts in the U.S. Stressing excellence and traditionality, the NCTA strives to expand awareness of the richness of America’s multicultural, living heritage through exciting, thoughtfully curated live programs that create dynamic cultural encounters between the nation’s finest artists and the public. It works in partnership with communities across America to establish new, sustainable traditional arts events that deliver lasting social, cultural, and economic benefits. Over 7,000 hours of the NCTA’s archival audio recordings, dating from the 1930s, are permanently housed at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. The NCTA also champions the interests of folk and traditional artists and organizations in the arena of public policy. ncta-usa.org
About the City of Jackson, MS:
Jackson is the capital of the State of Mississippi. With a population of 153,701, the city sits on the Pearl River and is the anchor for the Jackson metro area. Jackson is home to several cultural gems, including the Two Mississippi Museums, the Mississippi Museum of Art, and other historic treasures. For more information, visit www.jacksonms.gov.
