Festival of Native Peoples and Cherokee Indian Art Market

July 17-18, 2009: The Festival of Native Peoples and Cherokee Indian Art Market is held in Cherokee, North Carolina, near Asheville, in mid July each year. The annual gathering of tribes from throughout the Americas takes its rightful place as the finest showcase of native dance, art, and culture in the southeast.

The Festival of Native Peoples is an exposition of non-competitive dance, storytelling, and song performances expressing the collected history, culture, tradition, and wisdom of the indigenous peoples of the Americas. Entertainment throughout the day includes a replica of an Apache dwelling with audience participation, hoop dancing, flute music, and Cherokee storytellers. Other performers include the Halau Palaihiwa O Kaipuwai, Hopi Senom Dance Group, Phoenix, Arizona - Ambassador's of the State of Arizona and the Yellow Bird Apache champion dancers who have been performing for presidents and heads of state for 22 years.

The festival will also play host to one of the southeast’s largest Native American art markets. The Cherokee Indian Art Market will feature over fifty nationally recognized, juried craftspeople and artisans from around the country displaying and selling their handmade traditional and contemporary works of art ranging in price from $10 to tens of thousands of dollars. Artists will also demonstrate techniques passed down from generation to generation.

Arts and crafts on display include traditional Cherokee white oak and river cane baskets, black and traditional pottery, wood and stone carvings, paintings, silver and turquoise jewelry, and much more. The market will present the work of such esteemed artists as Darrin Bark, John Grant, Jeanean Hornbuckle, Mary James, Nikki Nations, Joel Queen, Bud Smith, and Mattie Welch Wildcat, Shan Goshorn, Ramona Lossie, Lori Reed, Lucille Lossiah, Betty Maney and Louise Goings, to name just a few.

Gates open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily with performances throughout the day. Art market opens at 9 a.m. Adult admission $10; children six and under are free. For Discount Ticket Packages or more information, call 800.438.1601.

The Cherokee Indian Fair Grounds is at 745 Tsali Blvd., off U.S. 441 in Cherokee.

5th Annual Festival of Native Peoples 2009 Schedule

Thursday, 7/16/09
10:00 a.m. Festival of Native Peoples Art Market

Friday, 7/17/09 MATINEE & Art Market Opens
12:00 p.m. Warriors of AniKituhwa & Raven Rock Dancers
12:30 p.m. Inca Son
1:00 p.m. Cellicion Zuni Dancers
1:30 p.m. Totonac Pole Flyers

EVENING PERFORMANCES
6:00 p.m. Git Hoan Dancers
6:45 p.m. Halau Palaihiwa O Kaipuwai
7:30 p.m. Chickasaw Nation Dance Troupe
8:00 p.m. Apache Crown Dancers

Saturday, 7/18/09
12:00 p.m. Warriors of AniKituhwa & Raven Rock Dancers
12:30 p.m. Git Hoan Dancers
1:00 p.m. Halau Palaihiwa O Kaipuwai
1:30 p.m. Chickasaw Nation Dance Troupe

EVENING PERFORMANCES
6:00 p.m. Totonac Pole Flyers
6:45 p.m. Cellicion Zuni Dancers
7:30 p.m. Inca Son
8:00 p.m. Apache Crown Dancers

Cherokee is just 52 miles from Asheville via I-40 West to Exit 27, then U.S. 19 to U.S. 441 in Cherokee (Just over an hour's drive).
Download a PDF map of Cherokee.