Taking place Friday, Saturday and Sunday in downtown East Lansing, the event is produced by MSU Museum’s Michigan Traditional Arts Program.

The museum spends almost the entire year preparing for the event, beginning the planning process just weeks after the previous festival ended.

Acting director of the MSU Museum Lora Helou said they begin putting out “feelers” and ruminating over talent options as early as the September before the event.

“It’s one of the biggest programs that the museum offers, so it’s definitely a big undertaking,” Helou said. “It has a great history behind it.”

The festival became an annual event in 2002, but the museum has been putting on folk-life events since 1987, this year marking the 28th year the museum has hosted a summer folk festival.

Helou said the festival features mostly roots and world music, recruiting musicians from various backgrounds who specialize in a range of cultural elements — from Cajun to Celtic.

“The event is always a little bit different each year,” Helou said. ”(It) shows how these cultural expressions are reproduced from generation to generation.”

Helou said although music is a large element of the festival, it’s not the only one. Dance plays a significant part in the festivities as well.

There will be a 2,400-square-foot dance floor located behind Urban Outfitters, where instructors will teach various dances including swing and contra, as well as host a waltz hour.

Cultures from across America and the world will be represented at the festival. There will be an arts marketplace which will sell items from traditional artists, as well as artists who craft products from recycled materials.

Also featured at the festival will be various authentic ethnic foods, demonstrations in art and storytelling and activities for children.

“We really look at this as a living museum exhibit,” Helou said. “We really hope that it fosters a greater sense of awareness and appreciation of the many different cultures that we have around here.”

Some musical performances will include a Canadian fiddler, Irish Celtic, accordion, banjo and mariachi.

"(There will be) lots of chances for people to participate,” Helou said. “These aren’t people that are at the top of the charts on the radio stations.”

An addition to this year’s festival is a program called Global Traditions, Local Connections. The program invites international student groups to perform workshops and demonstrations for festival goers.

Helou said the festival will have Chinese students leading an origami session and a game of Chinese badminton.

“The students from this program really helped work throughout the year,” Helou said. “I think the audience will enjoy the give and take of sharing in that environment in our campus community area.”