Join Northwest Folklife for an evening of gathering and celebration as we launch our 2026 Cultural Focus, Ubuntu.

Meet the artists who created this year’s poster, learn more about what’s ahead for the Northwest Folklife 2026 season, and connect with the many people who make this organization and festival so special—from our staff to our volunteers.

We are deeply grateful to our hosts for this year’s picnic, Pono Ranch. The evening will feature live music, art activities, and music around the fire. Guests are encouraged to bring their instruments and join in the music-making.

*Please be advised that this event will take place in both indoor and outdoor settings at Pono Ranch. Guests are encouraged to dress in layers and select appropriate footwear, as weather conditions may be cool in the evening. Portions of the venue include gravel walkways, fire pits, and covered outdoor areas—very Pacific Northwest.

All ages encouraged — everyone is welcome.
Happy Hour: 5:00–7:00 PM

What is Ubuntu?

“I am because we are” is a foundational translation of Ubuntu.

Ubuntu is about belonging—the understanding that we belong to one another because our personhood is connected to the personhood of someone else.

A loved one. A friend. A neighbor. A stranger.

Our humanity is rooted in the relationships we hold with people—those we have met and those we have not, consciously, subconsciously, and unconsciously. Ubuntu is a testament to the undeniable fact that we are tethered to one another, whether we realize it or not, and that a single action or encounter can create ripples felt both in our immediate community and far beyond it.