Event will bring together members of all NC tribes for a day of competitive dancing, music, food, vendors, and fun & partnership with North Carolina Museum of Art highlights new exhibit

(Raleigh, NC) - March 4, 2024 - For the fourth year, members of North Carolina’s eight Native American tribes will gather on Dix Park’s Harvey Hill for one of the state’s largest Inter-Tribal Pow Wows. 

The event, organized by the Dix Park Pow Wow Committee, which is made up of members of six Indigenous communities, Dix Park Conservancy, and the City of Raleigh, will bring together more than 5,000 members of both the tribal and wider community for a day of competitive dancing, music, food, vendors, and fun for the entire family.

Dix Park’s Indigenous heritage goes back thousands of years when it served as a hunting and gathering space for native North Carolinians. In August 2020, Dix Park hosted a Native American land blessing and land acknowledgment ceremony in partnership with the Triangle Native American Society - a ceremony that marked a first for the City of Raleigh. Dix Park followed up in 2021 with its first pow wow that included dance competitions, vendors, and live performances from Indigenous artists. 

“Demonstrating the vitality and strength of the NC Indigenous culture holds immense significance for us,” emphasizes Trey Roberts, Community Engagement Manager at the Dix Park Conservancy and a member of the Haliwa-Saponi tribe. “Dix Park provides us with an opportunity to proudly acknowledge our present existence and gain visibility. The Inter-tribal Pow Wow is just the beginning of a series of amazing upcoming events at Dix Park.”

Tribal citizens and Native dancers from across the state are invited to participate in competition and exhibition dancing at the 2024 Dix Park Inter-Tribal Pow Wow. On-site registration will be open from 9 - 11:30 am on May 18, 2024. 

A full schedule of events can be found on the event’s page on the Dix Park website: https://dixpark.org/powwow

For more info on the Pow Wow, please email trey@dixparkconservancy.org.

Dix Park Conservancy Teams with NC Museum of Art

In tandem with the Inter-Tribal Pow Wow, Dix Park Conservancy is shining light on the North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA), which is presenting the exhibition To Take Shape and Meaning: Form and Design in Contemporary American Indian Art, on view March 2–July 28. The exhibition features 3-D artworks, such as baskets made of blown glass and altered automobiles, by 75 Indigenous artists from over 50 tribes throughout the United States and Canada, including eight from North Carolina.

On Friday, May 17, NCMA welcomes the public to a free Dance and Regalia Showcase in the West Building from 6 to 8 pm, where Indigenous dances and regalia will be showcased. 

On Sunday, May 19, from 10 am to 5 pm, event attendees and participants are invited to the NCMA’s To Take Shape and Meaning Free Community Day to enjoy free access to the exhibition! Get up close with works of art and artists, and create your own art inspired by the work of Rose B. Simpson (Santa Clara Pueblo) with a special hands-on project. 

WHAT: Dix Park Inter-Tribal Pow Wow

WHEN: May 18, 2024 - 11:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.

WHERE: Harvey Hill @ Dix Park 

COST: FREE

About Dix Park Conservancy: Dix Park Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that exists to support the City in its efforts, serve as its philanthropic and community engagement partner, and ensure the creation and long-term success of Dorothea Dix Park as a place for everyone – a transformative public space for community, health, and celebration that will enrich our quality of life in North Carolina. 

About Dorothea Dix Park: Dorothea Dix Park is the site of one of the most exciting new park projects in America. The 308-acre site blends historic architecture and rich landscapes into a unique destination in the heart of Raleigh, North Carolina. The effort to create Dix Park is a public-private partnership between the City of Raleigh and Dix Park Conservancy. The City owns and operates Dix Park. The Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that exists to support the City to ensure the creation and long-term success of the park. Learn more at dixpark.org.