SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – “Sharing Stories of the Crossroads” is an Ozarks-based history-themed radio show on KICK 92.3 FM & 1340 AM.

Host John Sellars interviewed Tom Peters, the Dean of Library Services for Missouri State University. Peters is coordinating a large event that involves gathering people from the entire Ozarks region and taking them to the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.

“It’s a ten-day event … telling the stories of our past through music and other performances and events and it is going to be a lot of fun,” said Sellars.

“They’ve been doing it for over 50 years. They call it the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. And this year they’re going to have two programs. One is Living Religions … and the [other], Ozarks Faces and Facets of the Region,” said Peters.

He said MSU is working with the Smithsonian to create the 10-day event. They estimate about 600,000 people will be there.

Peters said he has gathered a large representation of the similarities, differences and uniqueness of the Ozarks in comparison to the rest of the country. He said it will be focused on food, crafts and music. There will be Ozark quilts, boats, a still to make moonshine and stories about Route 66 and the Trail of Tears. The Ozark Mountain Daredevils will be performing on July 4.

The Folklife Festival will be taking place at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. from June 29 to July 9.