2nd annual Festival of the Americas celebrates the rich heritage of indigenous art and culture

Painter and muralist David John at the Festival of the Americas, Ivins, Utah, 2021 | Photo courtesy of the Kayenta Arts Foundation, St. George News

CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — Against a red rock backdrop that was once the ancestral home of the Paiute people, the second annual Festival of the Americas celebrates the depth and richness of early indigenous cultures.

Artist Randy Dukepoo at the Festival of the Americas, Ivins, Utah, 2021 | Photo courtesy of the Kayenta Arts Foundation, St. George News

The festival will be held May 13-15 at the Kayenta Art Village and is free to attend. Surrounded by the warmth of the Kayenta community, attendees are invited to journey deeper in their understanding of Native American cultures and customs.

The three-day outdoor festival, presented by the Kayenta Arts Foundation, will showcase an array of art forms. This year’s event welcomes over 30 artisans from a broad geographic area encompassing the Western states of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada and California as well as Mexico. Featured work includes ceramics, sculpture, basketry, jewelry, painting, metal, wood and fiber.

“The talent is just off the charts,” festival director Todd Prince said. “It’s an enriching opportunity to experience.”

Along with booths, the festival offers live demonstrations and performances. Feather Robinson, an instructor at Dixie State University of Blackfeet descent, will be providing a presentation on traditional medicine and native plant use on Friday and sharing traditional stories on Saturday. Meredith Schramm, a member of the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska, will perform hoop, fancy and jingle dances with commentary about their origins and meaning on both days.

LeAnn Jake-Shearer from the Kaibab Paiute Tribe will host a discussion of the evolution of Paiute clothing and uses of the yucca plant on Friday. On Saturday, Ray Elam will demonstrate flint knapping and the traditional weapons used by his Cherokee ancestors as well as other tribes.

Mariah Gladstone, native foods chef and founder of Indigikitchen, at the Festival of the Americas, Ivins, Utah, 2021 | Photo courtesy of the Kayenta Arts Foundation, St. George News

Festival hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Demonstrations and performances will be scheduled throughout each day at various locations within the Kayenta Art Village, along with two special ticketed indoor events.

The opening ceremony on Friday night will be conducted by the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah. This celebration features historical information about local tribes, the powwow and its restoration, along with youth dances, flute and drum performances, and a community circle dance. The descendants of the earliest inhabitants of the Great Basin, the Paiute people have a long-standing tradition of music, song and dance.

Blending contemporary music with flute, drums and voice for a sonically fulfilling experience, the Adrian Wall Trio will perform on Saturday evening. Wall is an award-winning musician, producer and visual artist from New Mexico and a member of the Pueblo of Jemez who uses music as a platform to express his cultural identity.

Tickets for the opening ceremony are $10 per person, and admission to the Adrian Wall Trio concert is $10 for students and children or $30 for adults.

Pottery from the village of Mata Ortiz, Mexico, at the Festival of the Americas, Ivins, Utah, 2021 | Photo courtesy of the Kayenta Arts Foundation, St. George News

The festival promotes collaboration between the diverse cultural groups of the Southwest while offering native artisans an opportunity to share their talents and products with locals and visitors. Furthermore, all proceeds support the Festival of the Americas Scholarship Fund administered by the Kayenta Arts Foundation. Each artisan has donated a piece of their original art to a silent auction that will help raise money for the fund.

Any Native American student residing in Utah can apply for a partial scholarship to help finance higher education at a school within the state. Over $4,000 in scholarships were awarded following last year’s event, and organizers hope to increase that amount as the festival grows in popularity.

“Promoting secondary education for Native American students will create lifelong success for the students, their families and community,” Prince said.

Learn more about the festival and purchase tickets for the indoor performances here.

Written by ALEXA MORGAN for St. George News.

•  S P O N S O R E D   C O N T E N T  •

Event details

  • What: Festival of the Americas. 
  • When: Friday and Saturday, May 13-14, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, May 15, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 
  • Where: Kayenta Art Village, 881 Coyote Gulch Court, Ivins. 
  • Tickets: Free (festival); $10 (opening ceremony); $30 (Adrian Wall Trio concert). 
  • Resources: Website

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!