9th Annual Winter Gathering And Pow Wow Brings a Celebration Of Dance, Music And Crafts
Ancient Culture Thrives at December 9-11 Event at Spotlight Showroom
COACHELLA, Calif. – A three-day feast for the senses brings ancient culture and traditions to life in dazzling displays as the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians celebrates the 9th Annual Winter Gathering and Pow Wow.
The event takes place December 9-11 at the Spotlight Showroom inside Spotlight 29 Casino. The splendid and intricate culture of the Chemehuevi Indians will be conveyed in dance and music performances, food, arts and crafts, and some of the most beautifully hand-crafted dance regalia ever on display.
The Pow Wow includes drum contests, inter-tribal dancing, ironman contest, tiny tots exhibitions and men’s, women’s, teens’ and juniors’ dance competitions. Competitive categories include Northern and Southern traditional, grass, fancy, shawl and jingle dances. In addition to the events and competitions, 40 Native American vendors will sell a wide range of art, crafts and traditional foods.
Pow Wow committeeman Robert Paull said, “We carefully created the Pow Wow to be an event for the entire family. You don’t have to be Native American come to the Pow Wow; in fact, we invite everyone to join us, to celebrate with us and to learn more about our culture and traditions.”
The event is open to the public. Admission is free, and a $5.00 donation receives a commemorative T-shirt. All proceeds benefit the Theresa A. Mike Scholarship Fund to help worthy students in California and other northwest states attend the college of their choice.
Doors open on Friday, December 9 at 4:00 p.m., and the first spectacle is the Grand Entry, which begins at 6:00 p.m. On Saturday, December 10, doors open to registration at 10:00 a.m., and the celebration continues from noon until 8:00 p.m. On Sunday, December 11, doors open at 10:00 a.m., and the Grand Entry is at noon.
Sponsors of the 9th Annual Winter Gathering and Pow Wow include Bosh Brothers Bakery, Crown Meats, D&D Produce, Douwe Egberts, Fulton Distributing, Old Country Bakery, Pepsi and Spotlight 29 Casino.
