CHEYENNE, Wyo. – June 10, 2026 – The Wyoming Arts Council will host the Wyoming Folklife Festival on July 4 in Cheyenne as part of the broader Capital City Celebration commemorating America’s 250th anniversary.

The festival will take place from noon to 4 p.m. on the south lawn of the Barrett Building, home of the Wyoming State Museum, located at 2301 Central Ave. in Cheyenne. The event is free and open to the public, featuring demonstrations and performances by folk and traditional artists from across Wyoming.

The Wyoming Folklife Festival will feature 11 previous recipients of the Wyoming Arts Council’s Folk & Traditional Arts Mentoring Project Grant, which supports mentor artists in passing on traditional arts knowledge and skills through hands-on instruction with apprentices in their communities. Demonstrations will include traditions such as blacksmithing, saddlemaking, beadwork, regalia making, and fly rod making.

In addition to artist demonstrations at the Barrett Building, traditional dance performances by the Wind River Dancers and Las Angelitas Unidas y Los Rayos del Sol will take place on the stage and grounds at the Wyoming State Capitol square.

“We’re looking forward to marking this milestone occasion with demonstrations from traditional artists from across the state,” said Josh Chrysler of the Wyoming Arts Council. “This is a good opportunity to come learn more about the traditional arts that are practiced in Wyoming and get to know people from across Wyoming who have dedicated themselves to maintaining these traditions."

For more information, contact Josh Chrysler, folklorist and health and wellness specialist with the Wyoming Arts Council, at (307) 256-2010 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Additional information about the Wyoming Folklife Festival is available at wyoarts.state.wy.us/wyoming-folklife-festival. Information about other Capital City Celebration events can be found at capitalcitycelebration.com.

Figure 1: Idalis Higginbottom, left, and Alyssa Martinez create a handmade tocado, a traditional hairpiece from the Michoacán region of Mexico. Once completed, the piece will be worn as two long braids adorned with colorful ribbon bows.

Contact: Josh Chrysler, (307) 256-2010; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.