Overview of Festival Elements

Performance Stages

The First Americans Festival will feature five performance venues-Potomac Stage, Dance Circle, Harvest Stage, Raven Stage, and Four Directions Stage-with concurrent programs of music, dance, and storytelling, in styles and genres ranging from the traditional to the contemporary, and a blend of both, plus blues, rock, reggae, hip-hop, jazz, and more.

Daytime Programs

Daytime programs in dance, music, storytelling, and demonstrations will cater to students and families, and will provide opportunities for audience participation and interaction. Daily. Tuesday: 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Wednesday through Sunday: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Educational Programs

School groups are invited and encouraged to attend on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (September 22-24) from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Evening Concerts

The First Americans Festival Evening Concerts will feature some of the best-known traditional and contemporary Native performers from the U.S., Canada, Central, and South America.

Tuesday, September 21, 5:30 p.m.

Comedian Charlie Hill (Oneida) will host the opening concert, featuring Buffy Sainte-Marie (Cree), Lila Downs (Mixtec), Rita Coolidge (Cherokee), and Indigenous (Nakota).

Saturday, September 25, 5:30 p.m.

Actor Wes Studi (Cherokee), will introduce Star Nayea, The Pappy Johns Band with Murray Porter (Six Nations Reserve), and Keith Secola (Anishinabe).

Sunday, September 26, 10 a.m. to noon.

Sunday Morning Hymn Singing The tradition of hymn-singing is strong in many Native communities throughout the United States, with songs often performed in Native languages. The Cherokee National Youth Choir (Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma), the Oneida Hymn Singers (Oneida Nation of Wisconsin), Victoria Huggins (Lumbee), and the Gospel Light Echoes (Navajo).

Native Traditions Pavilions

Two pavilions will house highly skilled regalia-makers and instrument-makers, who will demonstrate and discuss their traditional art forms. Daily.

First Americans Festival Marketplace

The First Americans Festival Marketplace will be located on the grounds of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian on Maryland Avenue, between 3rd Street and Independence Avenue, SW, adjacent to the National Mall and the Festival site. The Marketplace will offer a diverse selection of Native arts and crafts from Hawai'i, North, Central, and South American artisans and co-ops, recordings and crafts by artists and demonstrators performing at the Festival, and National Museum of the American Indian publications, posters, and recording, and other Festival memorabilia. Daily. View the list of arts & crafts vendors.

Three Sisters Café

Located on the festival grounds, food concessions will offer meals and beverages based on the food traditions of the Americas. Named after the main staples of the Iroquois in northeastern United States and Canada, the Three Sisters-corn, beans, and squash-are some of the culinary offerings that will be available. Other menu items will include Native foods, and a popular favorite, Indian fry bread! Daily.