Scottsdale is gearing up to once again fully embrace and celebrate the vast and diverse culture of Native Americans at the 11th annual Arizona Indian Festival, which is slated to take place starting this Saturday, February 1. The two-day event promises to bring together all 22 of Arizona’s tribes for a weekend filled with traditional Native arts, crafts, food, and performances.
The free festival is not only a cultural highlight but also serves as a vital platform for promoting tribal tourism. As Steve Geiogamah, the City of Scottsdale’s tourism development manager, highlighted, what sets the festival apart "is that it unites all 22 of Arizona’s tribes," in a statement made by the official Scottsdale website. Attendees are sure to get an authentic experience, as the festival will feature accomplished Native artists and performers, including the Apache Crown Dancers and Hopi Traditional Dancers.
With over 16,000 people having attended the festival in the previous year, the organizers are likely preparing to welcome a similarly large crowd. The event will unfold over the weekend, with the doors opening from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. The venue, Scottsdale Civic Center, located at 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd., is the chosen spot for this grand celebration. Details about the event are available on the event website.
Adding to the usual fanfare this year is an exciting new component – the Indigenous Food Symposium set to occur on Saturday. The symposium aims to deeply explore Native food sovereignty and traditional foodways with several speakers and a panel discussion. This fresh addition to the festival illustrates the ongoing commitment to not just celebrate, but also to actively discuss and preserve indigenous cultures and practices.
As for the origin of the Arizona Indian Festival, it dates back all the way to 1996 when Arizona was preparing to host its first Super Bowl. The Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee was looking for ways to engage the tribal communities in the festivities. It found its annual stride in 2015 when the state prepared for yet another Super Bowl, turning the event into a yearly mainstay and giving it a permanent home in Scottsdale.
