10/27/2026
California Kolo Festival- Code of Conduct
The California Kolo Festival is committed to a welcoming, respectful, inclusive, and safe environment for everyone celebrating Balkan folk dance, music, and cultural traditions.
This Code applies to all festival participants, including attendees, dancers, teachers, musicians, employees, contractors, volunteers, organizers, and board members. Everyone shares responsibility for upholding it at festival activities and in festival-related interactions.
Respect, Consent, and Inclusion
Participants are expected to:
Respect personal boundaries. Ask before initiating physical contact beyond what is customary in a dance, and stop immediately when someone indicates discomfort or withdraws consent. Silence or participation in a dance does not imply consent to other contact or advances.
Treat people and the cultural traditions represented in the community with courtesy, sensitivity, and respect.
Disagree respectfully and avoid personal attacks, humiliation, intimidation, or disruptive behavior.
Follow reasonable safety and event instructions from festival organizers.
Maintain appropriate boundaries, especially where differences in age, authority, experience, or organizational role exist.
These expectations apply equally to everyone, regardless of role, seniority, reputation, or contribution to the festival.
Prohibited Conduct
Harassment, discrimination, intimidation, threats, and other conduct that undermines someone’s safety or dignity are not tolerated. Prohibited conduct includes:
Slurs, insults, demeaning jokes, or discriminatory conduct based on a legally protected characteristic.
Unwelcome comments about someone’s body, appearance, clothing, relationships, or sexuality.
Unwanted sexual advances, suggestive comments, touching, or repeated attention after it has been declined.
Using a position of authority, influence, or trust to pursue unwanted personal or sexual attention.
Physical aggression, threats, stalking, intimidation, or attempts to pressure or silence someone raising a concern.
Substantially disrupting festival activities or creating unsafe conditions.
Intoxication or substance-related behavior that compromises safety or disrupts the event; illegal substance use; or smoking where prohibited by law or venue rules.
Alcohol and Substances
Where alcohol is permitted, it must be consumed legally and responsibly. Organizers may intervene when intoxication or substance-related behavior creates a safety concern or violates this Code or venue rules.
Reporting Concerns
Anyone who experiences, witnesses, or learns of possible misconduct is encouraged to report it promptly to a board member or designated festival representative. Reports may be made in person, by email, text, or phone; individuals may identify themselves or request anonymity.
If the person who would ordinarily receive the report is involved, contact another board member or representative who is not involved.
Concerns Involving Minors
Concerns about a minor’s safety, harassment, discrimination, or exploitation should be reported promptly to a board member or designated representative who is not implicated. A parent or legal guardian should be involved as appropriate, consistent with the minor’s safety, privacy, and applicable law.
When conduct may constitute abuse, assault, or another crime, the festival may contact or encourage contact with appropriate authorities. Anyone may contact authorities directly.
No Retaliation
Retaliation is prohibited against anyone who in good faith reports a concern, seeks advice, provides information, participates in a review, or supports someone making a report. Retaliation may include threats, harassment, intimidation, exclusion, or other adverse treatment.
Report suspected retaliation through the channels above. A report is not considered false simply because it cannot be substantiated or the evidence is inconclusive. Knowingly making a materially false report or deliberately providing false information may result in disciplinary action.
Response and Consequences
The festival will assess concerns with participant safety, available information, the seriousness of the conduct, and applicable procedures in mind. Anyone whose conduct is the subject of a complaint should not control its review or outcome.
Depending on the circumstances, consequences may include a warning, instructions to stop specific conduct, removal from an activity or event, suspension or exclusion from future activities, or removal from a festival role. Serious misconduct may result in immediate protective action. The festival may also refer concerns to venue management or appropriate authorities.
Our Commitment
We are committed to a community where everyone can participate with dignity and help sustain the traditions and spirit of the California Kolo Festival. By participating in festival activities, everyone covered by this Code is expected to follow it.
