Pow Wow - A Celebration of Indigenous Nations

If you love dancing with other Indigenous nations, mark your calendar.

Pack your bags and get ready to sing, dance or just watch the 113th Annual

Northern Navajo Fair Pow Wow here in Shiprock, New Mexico on October 2-3, 2026 at

the Northern Navajo Jimmy King Sr. Memorial Pow Wow Arena on the fairgrounds.

Originally, pow wow was not part of Navajo culture, but over the years it has

grown in popularity and is now a mainstay for many Navajo people.

The Northern Navajo Fair is all about culture and tradition so pow wow is now a

major attraction for fairgoers.

Event Coordinator Qeturah Anderson wants everyone from near and afar to

participate or just enjoy the array of highly-skilled dancers perform different styles of

dancing techniques.

There are various types of pow wows that are held for social reasons or to

celebrate while other pow wows include competition.

Pow wows are a way to connect with other tribes and celebrate the joy of singing

and dancing. An inter-tribal cultural celebration if you will.

Dancers gather from throughout the U.S. and Canada representing hundreds of

different tribes at various pow wows.

Drum groups and dancers represent certain regions of the country and dance and

sing a particular style accordingly.

Some of the different styles of dancing may include fancy grass, chicken or jingle,

to name but a few.

And it takes endless hours or even days just to design a fancy buckskin dress or

beaded moccasin, but the rewards are many.

Pow wow enthusiasts get to see an umbrella of colorful regalia, but more

importantly, there may be a future pow wow princess or dancer that can dance humbly

yet honorably and showcase their intricately-designed attire.

It is an event where dancing is in sync with every drum beat while in harmony

with powerful high vocal performances.

Cascading through the pow wow arena and beyond, the pow wow songs have

very strong spiritual energy while the dancers represent the cultural pride and strength of

Indigenous nations.

It is said singing is like a prayer to the Creator.

So with that, please remember to pray.

And have a safe journey to the Northern Navajo Fair.

See you at the Northern Navajo Fair Pow Wow1!