EBCI 4th of July Powwow Postponed For Now

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians' powwow organizers have made the difficult decision to postpone the annual powwow that usually takes place over the 4th of July weekend. They are working hard to determine if and when it can happen, safely, at a later date. We'll share any updates regarding rescheduling on the blog, and on social media, so please keep an eye out!

In the meantime, we want to celebrate the spirit of Cherokee's annual 4th of July Powwow—which is one of the biggest powwows on the East Coast. The event typically takes place over three days and attracts people from around the world for dancing and drumming competitions, tribal regalia, crafts, food, and fireworks. 

While it's deeply disappointing for so many that we can't gather together this 4th of July, we hope these photo highlights from past powwows bring you some joy. Many thanks to Kristy Herron for sharing these photos with us. 

Attend a Virtual Powwow

We also invite you to learn about the virtual powwow trend as a result of COVID, where you can see beautiful dance performances online—including some from young, talented EBCI performers. Many of our young powwow dancers have honed their dancing skills with JaTanna Feather, a Cherokee dance instructor who we also recently profiled on the blog. 

For JaTanna, dance is not only incredibly healing, but is a way to connect to her past—and to the future through her young students who carry on the culture and tradition. 

“Our kids are telling their stories through dance. They are the future and our culture holders,” says JaTanna. 

At her school, Kanohesgi Storyteller Dancers, they “dance for those who cannot dance, for the sick, for the elderly, and for the disabled.”