20+ ways you can celebrate Native American Heritage Month, Indigenous Peoples Day in Oklahoma

With 39 tribal nations headquartered in Oklahoma, opportunities abound year-round to experience Native American languages, history and lifeways.

But fall is perhaps the best time of year to learn about American Indian cultures between Indigenous Peoples Day, which is observed on the second Monday of October, and Native American Heritage Month, which is commemorated in November.

Ranging from the National Indian Taco Championship and an Indigenous comic convention to one of the nation’s largest powwows and a celebration of sorghum, here are more than 20 October and November events across Oklahoma where people can celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day and Native American Heritage Month:

Chickasaw Nation Annual Meeting & Festival, Tishomingo

When: Through Oct. 7.

Where: Various venues in Tishomingo and the surrounding area.

Information: https://annualmeeting.chickasaw.net.

The festivities include a parade, sports tournaments, stickball demonstrations, film screenings, children’s activities, cultural demonstrations and more. 

Southeastern Art Show and Market, Tishomingo

When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 6 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 7.

Where: Chickasaw Capitol Grounds West, 411 W 9, Tishomingo.

Information: https://seasam.net.

An array of artists representing the Five Tribes – Chickasaw, Cherokee, Choctaw, Muscogee and Seminole – along with other Southeastern tribes will show their work. The 18th annual exhibit will showcase jewelry, fashion, weapons, paintings, sculptures and more.

National Indian Taco Championship, Pawhuska

When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 7.

Where: Kihekah Avenue, Pawhuska.

Information: https://www.facebook.com/NITCPawhuska.

Competitors from all over the country gather in the Osage County seat to see who can fry up the best Indian taco. A powwow will coincide with the tasty event.

73rd Annual Keetoowah Celebration, Tahlequah

When: 8 a.m. Oct. 7.

Where: 18300 W Keetoowah Circle, Tahlequah.

Information: https://www.ukb-nsn.gov/celebration2023.

The event, which is open to the public, will include a car show, kids’ fishing derby, stickball games, cornstalk shoot, arts and crafts vendors and more. The annual celebration, slated every year during the first weekend in October, honors the anniversary of Oct. 3, 1950, when the United Keetoowah Band officially voted to have its constitution and by-laws ratified.

‘Bad Press’ film screening, Tulsa

When: 2 p.m. Oct. 7.

Where: Circle Cinema, 10 S Lewis, Tulsa.

Information: https://www.circlecinema.org.

The nonprofit Tulsa movie theater will present a special Q&A along with a screening of the documentary, which premiered in January at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival in Utah. Angel Ellis, a Mvskoke Media reporter based in Okmulgee, fights for truth and transparency after the Muscogee Nation starts censoring its free press in this documentary, directed by Muscogee filmmaker Rebecca Landsberry-Baker.

Participants in the Q&A will include Benny Polacca, Osage News senior reporter; Lenzy Krehbiel-Burton, Tulsa World education reporter; and Allison Herrera, KOSU Indigenous Affairs reporter.

Muskogee Oklahoma Native American Association Indigenous Peoples Day

When and where: 11 a.m. Oct. 8, Muscogee Indian Community Center, 335 N 4 St., Muskogee.

When and where: 9:45 a.m. Oct. 9, MLK Center, 300 W MLK St., Muskogee.

Information: Search for Muskogee Oklahoma Native American Association on Facebook.

The activities on Oct. 8 will include lunch and a gospel sing, while the Oct. 9 celebration will feature a march honoring the ancestors, an Indian taco fundraiser, free children’s games and crafts and an Indigenous art exhibition.

First Americans Museum’s Indigenous Peoples Day, Oklahoma City    

When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 9.

Where: First Americans Museum, First Americans Blvd., OKC.

Information: https://famok.org.

The celebration will include film screenings, food trucks, stickball games, social dancing, an Indigenous youth art contest and an array of performances. Admission is free to the event, with $5 discounted admission to the museum’s galleries.

Attendees who wear the official Indigenous Peoples Day T-shirt, featuring an exclusive design by Adrian RedBird (Kiowa Tribe/Cheyenne/Muscogee), will receive free gallery admission and 10% off purchases at the FAMstore.

University of Oklahoma Indigenous Peoples Day, Norman

When: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 9.

Where: OU’s South Oval (aka Van Vleet Oval), Norman.

Information: https://www.ou.edu/studentlife/mcps/aips/programs/ipd.

Activities will include a cedaring ceremony, stickball game and beading, basketmaking and hand game workshops.

Tulsa Native American Day

When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 9.

Where: Dream Keepers Park, 1875 S Boulder Park Dr., Tulsa.

Information: https://www.facebook.com/TulsaNativeAmericanDay.  

The seventh annual event will include artist and vendor booths, plus food trucks. Marshaled this year by “Reservation Dogs” co-creator Sterlin Harjo, the parade will begin at 11 a.m., followed by exhibition dancing and speeches from tribal community leaders and guest speakers.

Northeastern State University’s Indigenous Peoples Day, Tahlequah

When: 3 to 7 p.m. Oct. 9. 

Where: Beta Field on NSU campus, Tahlequah.

Information: https://www.facebook.com/NSUtribalstudies/events.

The NSU Center for Tribal Studies will host traditional games from 3 to 5:45 p.m., followed by a 6 p.m. march from Beta Field to the Peace Pavilion. The event is free and open to the public.

‘Nanyehi – The Story of Nancy Ward,’ Catoosa

When: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 13-14.

Where: Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa, 777 W Cherokee St., Catoosa.

Information: https://www.nanyehi.com.

The historical musical tells the story of Nancy Ward, a legendary woman who was first honored in the 18th century as a Cherokee war woman, but then as a peacemaker during the American Revolution.

The biographical stage show is written by Grammy-nominated songwriter and Bartlesville native Becky Hobbs and playwright Nick Sweet.

Cherokee Nation Art Market, Catoosa

When: Oct. 14-15.

Where: Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa, 777 W Cherokee St., Catoosa.

Information: https://visitcherokeenation.com/cherokee-art-market.

More than 150 top Native American artists from across the country are gathering for the 18th annual market.  

Red Earth FallFest and Parade, OKC

When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 14.

Where: In and around Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W Reno Ave.

Information: https://redearth.org/pages/fallfest-2023.  

For the third year, OKC’s venerable Red Earth Inc. is marking Indigenous Peoples Day in downtown Oklahoma City with a free event, including its beloved Red Earth Parade, a youth powwow and Native American arts market. The parade will begin at 10 a.m. at NW 6 Street and Walker Avenue, head southbound on Walker and culminate near the Myriad Gardens, where the art market and Red Earth Youth Powwow will take place.

Indigenous Archaeology Day, Calera

When: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 14.

Where: Choctaw Cultural Center, 1919 Hina Hanta Way, Calera.

Information: https://www.facebook.com/ChoctawCulturalCenter.

The event will have a morning and afternoon session, with tables including information on traditional Choctaw art forms like pottery, flintknapping and textiles that have been documented archaeologically and still are practiced by the Choctaw community.

2 Spirit Fest: An Indigiqueer Celebration, Tulsa

When: 6:30 p.m. Oct. 14 and noon Oct. 15.

Where: 101 Archer St., Tulsa.

Information: https://www.facebook.com/TwistedArtsTulsa.

The free inaugural festival will feature musical performances by a variety of artists, plus video installations and panels.

Hominy Indigenous Day & National Meat Pie Cook Off

When: Noon Oct. 14.

Where: Hominy Lake, west of Hominy.

Information: https://www.facebook.com/hominybuckpride/events.

Along with the cook-off, activities include craft booths, dancers and live music.

Cherokee Fall Harvest, Sallisaw

When: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 21.

Where: Sequoyah’s Cabin Museum, 470288 OK-101, Sallisaw.

Information: https://visitcherokeenation.com/events-and-exhibits/fall-harvest.

The event will include traditional games and artisan demonstrations, plus children can pick out and decorate their favorite pumpkin from the patch.

Fort Washita Ghost Tours, Durant

When: 7 to 9:15 p.m. Oct. 24-28.

Where: Fort Washita, 3348 OK-199, Durant. 

Information: https://chickasawcountry.com/events/fort-washita-ghost-tours.

Explore by candlelight the historic site of a military post built in 1842 to maintain peace for the Chickasaw and Choctaw nations and later occupied and largely destroyed by the Confederate Army during the Civil War. 

Honkv Storytelling, Okmulgee

When: 7 p.m. Oct. 27. Vendor booths open at 5 p.m.

Where: Claude Cox Omniplex, 2950 Warrior Rd., Okmulgee. 

Information: Search for the Muscogee Nation Museum, Cultural Center & Archives on Facebook. 

Free and open to the public, this event will include a bigfoot calling contest, witch cackling competition, Honkv Mash Dance Off and vendors. Bring a lawn chair and a scary story to share.  

Wewoka Sorghum Festival

When: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 28.

Where: Seminole Nation Museum, 524 S Wewoka Ave., and downtown Wewoka.  

Information: https://www.sorghumfestivalok.org.

Started by the Wewoka Rotary Club in 1976 to promote the Seminole Nation Museum, the 48th annual festival honoring the syrupy frontier treat will feature free museum admission, Native American cultural demonstrations, children’s crafts, traditional Native foods and sorghum baked goods on the museum grounds. In downtown Wewoka, the free, family-friendly festivities will include a parade, car show, art and photography show and a 5K run.  

Will Rogers Days, Claremore

When: Nov. 1-4.

Where: Will Rogers Memorial Museum, 1720 W Will Rogers Blvd., and other Claremore venues.

Information: https://www.willrogers.com/will-rogers-days.

To celebrate the Nov. 4 birthday of “The Cherokee Kid” and “Oklahoma’s Favorite Son,” the festivities include a parade, film festival, 5K run and more.

Choctaw Powwow, Durant

When: Nov. 3-5.

Where: Choctaw Event Center, 3702 Choctaw Rd., Durant.

Information: https://www.choctawnation.com/events/cultural/powwow.

Native American dancers from all over the United States gather for one of the country’s largest powwows.

SkasdiCon, Tahlequah

When: Noon to 7 p.m. Nov. 4.

Where: NSU’s University Center Ballroom, 612 N Grand Ave., Tahlequah.  

Information: https://skasdicon.com.  

The second annual Indigenous comic convention in the Cherokee Nation will feature a family-friendly cosplay competition, Native pop-culture panels, screenings and First Americans artists. Special guests for this year’s event include “Prey” producer Jhane Myers, who is Comanche and Blackfeet, and “Super Indian” comic book creator Arigon Starr, who is Kickapoo and Creek.

The name of the event is from “skasdi,” a Cherokee slang word that “represents pride, impressiveness, awesomeness, fierceness or feistiness.”  

‘Chilocco: A Native American Boarding School Documentary,’ Del City

When: 2 p.m. Nov. 5.

Where: Del City Library,  4330 SE 15, Del City.

Information: https://www.metrolibrary.org/event/chilocco-native-american-indian-boarding-school-documentary.

The documentary delves into the history of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School. Between 1869 and the 1960s, Native American children were removed from their homes and families and placed in boarding schools operated by the federal government and churches. The number of children taken is unknown. By 1900, there were 20,000 children in Indian boarding schools, and by 1925, that number had more than tripled.

Stomp dance demonstrations, Sulphur

When: 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays.

Where: Chickasaw Cultural Center, 867 Cooper Memorial Dr., Sulphur. 

Information: https://www.chickasawculturalcenter.com/experience.  

The stomp dance is such a treasured tradition in Chickasaw culture. The center offers free stop dance demonstrations twice a day, and visitors can attend for free.

Stomp dancers perform in traditional clothing and visitors are encouraged to participate.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Indigenous Peoples Day, Native American Heritage events in Oklahoma