June is Indigenous History Month, which means it’s almost time for the Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival. This year’s festival promises to delight patrons with new attractions, while still offering all of the classic staples that make this festival the perfect way to kick off the Summer.
New to the festival this year is the Glow In The Dark Pow Wow. Happening on National Indigenous Peoples Day, this event will light up Madahoki Farm with the help of Juno Award Winner DJ Shub, hoop dancer Theland Kicknosway, and some of the best Pow Wow dancers from across Turtle Island.
However, that’s not the only special event happening on June 21st. The Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival will also be hosting not one, but two Long Table Feasts at 1pm and 6pm respectively. Each meal has been prepared by Top Chef Canada and Six Nation of the Grand River’s Chef Tawnya Brant, and will be accompanied by a live performance by Mohawk singer-songwriter Logan Staats. Spots are limited and tickets for this special experience can be purchased by clicking here.
While the festival is expanding its offerings, they’re also bringing back many of the attractions that people from all over come to expect. The drone show is returning this year, and is bigger and better than ever with 250 drones ready to light up the night sky at Madahoki Farm on June 22nd at 10pm. Likewise, if you’re in the mood for an educational experience, the festival is offering a variety of workshops, activities and artist demonstrations all weekend long, including quillwork, Algonquin Language Bingo, culinary workshops where you’ll get to prepare fresh Indigenous cuisine, and more.
The Celebration Stage will also once again be home to a number of incredible performances, including performances by Mohawk musician and storyteller David Finkle, The Sunsdrum Inuit Throat Singers, World Champion Hoop Dancer Scott Sinquah, and Métis dancer Brad Lafortune. You’ll also be able to check out and take part in traditional Inuit games, and a special performance of the play Sky Woman Falls To Earth (only on June 21st). To see the full Celebration Stage schedule, click here.
Finally, you’ll have the chance to once again witness people from all over Turtle Island gather to take part in the Competition Pow Wow, with more than $75,000 in prizing on the line. This event attracts dancers from all over, and is truly a sight to behold. The Host Drum for this year’s competition will be six time Grammy Award nominees Northern Cree. To learn more about the Competition Pow Wow, click here.
All of this only begins to scratch the surface of everything there is to do at the 2024 Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival. There will also be an Indigenous Marketplace, food vendors, shuttle services to and from Algonquin College, a chance to see the rare Ojibwe Spirit Horses, and so much more.
The 2024 Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival kicks off on June 21st at Madahoki Farm, 4420 West Hunt Club Road, in Ottawa. The festival runs from June 21st to June 23rd. To learn more about the festival, see the full schedule, and sign up for workshops, click here.