The Town of Okotoks is hosting an Indigenous Artisan Market, Tipi Camp, and Powwow this weekend at the Okotoks Rec Centre.
This is the third annual Artisan Market, which will have over 50 Indigenous artisans selling handmade crafts and authentic First Nations, Inuit, Metis items, and all proceeds will go back to the artisan.
The Tipi Camp is going to be in the splash park field by the Rec Centre, and there are 17 Tipi's registered for the event.
This is the second year there will be a Tipi Camp at the event, and honours the Town of Okotoks 2023 Tipi transfer, as well as helping to bring together people for conversation and ceremony.
As part of the Tipi Camp, there will be fireside stories from Blackfoot Elders and a Pipe Ceremony.
"New this year is a two-day competition Powwow happening on Saturday, May 31, and Sunday, June 1," explained Desmond Jackson, the Town of Okotoks Indigenous Relations Advisor. "Both grand entries start at 1 p.m."
The Town is in partnership with Siksika Nation for the Powwow, which is a two-day competition that will see drum groups and dancers from all over North America coming to Okotoks to compete for the judges.
"This is the first ever Powwow that's happening in the Town of Okotoks. The first Grand Entry is going to be at 1 p.m. [on Saturday, May 31], and that's the inaugural Grand Entry, that's the start of the Powwow," says Jackson. "It's just a beautiful event. You're going to see amazing, amazing dancers, amazing singers. Everybody's going to be laughing, having fun. It's going to be a great time."
Anyone who does Powwow dancing is able to register to dance at the event.
The Town decided to add the Powwow, because it's a big cultural event and aligns with the Town's commitment to advancing Truth and Reconciliation.
On Saturday, from 5 to 6 p.m., there will also be an all-Indigenous high school ceremony.
At the market, there will also be food trucks on site.
"There's going to be a lot of people, there's going to be Elders. We're having a ceremony in the Tipi Camp on both Friday and Saturday. We're having fire side stories from 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday, May 30," Jackson says. "There's going to be beautiful dancing, beautiful regalia, and this event is for everybody. You do not have to be Indigenous, this is for non-Indigenous people as well to come out, experience, see, taste, and just take in First Nation culture, Inuit culture, Indigenous culture, and Metis culture."
The event will take place at the Okotoks Rec Centre all weekend, beginning on Friday (May 30), and is free to attend.
To learn more about the event, head over to the Town of Okotoks website.