Autumn is festival time in Canberra, when the pinstriped pollies and bureaucrats slip off their suits, kick off their high heels, let their hair down and pull on their dancing shoes for the annual National Folk Festival in the Capital's Exhibition Park.

Now in its 38th year, the annual Easter-time knees-up (8-12 April 2004) is one of the biggest celebrations of folk music and culture in the country. From the opening concert on Thursday evening until the Grand Finale on Monday night, the Festival is a non-stop, 16-hours-a-day celebration of instrumental music, song, dance and the spoken word.

More than 900 performers give of their best in concerts, workshops and displays, including world-class acts such as Women in Docs, Greg Champion, Kavisha Mazella, John Derum and the Pigram.Brothers. There are music sessions and singing sessions and dancing sessions, a daily Poets' Breakfast, yarnspinning and storytelling, craft making and mural painting, the Children's Festival and circus training, street theatre and parades. You can pop into the Instrument Makers' Pavilion, attend prestigious music awards or visit displays from the National Museum, the National Library and ScreenSound.

A highlight of the festival will be the stage presentation of writer/storyteller Arnold Zable's The Fig Tree, telling fascinating and compassionate stories of people transplanted from their home countries. Arnold will tell the tales of the journeys, along with world- class performers Kavisha Mazella, Anthea Sidiropolous, Costas Tsicaderis and groups Klezmania and Klezmeritis.

Dance France will show and teach you dance from Brittany, the Auvergne and other regions, complete with traditional hurdy-gurdy and cornemuse music. Another fascinating instrument from another place is the Indian veena, which lends itself exquisitely to the Carnatic music and songs of the Iyer Brothers. Carnatic music is a perfect balance of rhythm and lyrics, as smooth as silk and without a ripple.

For something a bit livelier try Cajun music - plus Creole blues and country swing - the specialty of Andy Baylor's Cajun Combo and great to dance to. While the adrenalin's up you can catch performances by Jepokryddona, a group of young Finnish-Swedish musicians. Their minuets and polkas are fast, swinging and rhythmical, all played by ear.

You can also enjoy dance displays by the Linnea Swedish Folk Dancers and catch the combined cultural talents of Nordunder - Nordic folk from down under, with dances from Sweden, Finland, Estonia (and Australia).The Polonez Song and Dance Ensemble bring new life to Polish folk and national dances.

ScanDans sure can dance - Canberra's very own Scandinavian dance troup strutting their stuff with the Salmiakki Pelimannit band. In an exciting first, the National will present a Lithuanian dance group, Sokdova. Virmalised - Northern Lights will bring the dances of Estonia to Festival audiences.

Women's voices from around the world feature on the programme. Silvia Entcheva brings to life the haunting melodies and lyrics of Bulgarian music; even if you don't speak the language, we dare you not to be stirred by this superb singer. Shiva Voda is Reni Pavlova- Bojilov and Ann Bermingham; a duo of finely-tuned voices singing the songs of Reni's native Bulgaria. And from Samoa, the women's trio Sunga will explore the musical essence of Polynesia, including the Samoan "slap and clap" dance.

Renita Chou is from Taiwan; she learned traditional Chinese dancing, which dates back nearly 5,000 years when she was at primary school.

Machitun is four women with four great voices creating one great harmony, while playing traditional South American instruments - the cuatro, charango, guitars, drums, percussion and harmonicas.

It wouldn't be a festival without belly dancers. The spangles, shawls, sequins and belly-rolls will be provided - with rhythm and gusto - by Raqs Sharqi and the Tallaganda Dance Group. (Just for good measure, the Tallagandas will also present Israeli and Eastern European folk dances).

Once in the village, there's no need to leave. There's an all-amenities camping site right next door, an on-site supermarket, on-site transport and more than 110 food and craft stalls and 3 bars. The site and most of the 19 comfortable venues are wheelchair friendly - and if you want to explore the rest of Canberra's treasure trove you can catch a bus right outside the gate.

For more information about events, visit The National Folk Festival.