A new agreement between Missouri State University in Springfield and the Smithsonian in Washington DC will help feature the Ozarks at the 2023 Folklore Festival. KRPS’s Fred Fletcher-Fierro has more.

Staff at Missouri States Ozark Studies Institute will work with employees from the Smithsonian along with area partners and advisors to develop programming for the festival that will take place next June. Tom Peters, Deane of Library Sciences at MSU is excited about the opportunity, saying quote, “thanks to our partnership with the Smithsonian and regional collaborations to come, we can share the Ozarks’ story with the world.” unquote.

The Ozark Studies Institute is a part of MSU’s Library and seeks to preserve the heritage of the Ozarks, its culture, environment, and history by fostering a comprehensive knowledge of the Ozarks’ people, place, characteristics, and heritage. The 2023 Smithsonian Folklife Festival is scheduled for June 27-July 8 of next year. The events are free and open to the public. For 89 9 KRPS, I’m Fred Fletcher-Fierro