Schedule

Saturday
° 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. — Parade
° 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. — Iroquis Dancers and Storytelling
° 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. — Gospel Singing and Alligator Wrestling
° 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. — Storytelling and Billie Jo Swayney
° 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. — Eddie Bushyhead and Iroquis Dancers
° 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. — Billie Jo Swayney
° 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. — Eddie Bushyhead and Pow Wow Dancers
° 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.— Tommy Wildcat and Alligator Wrestling
° 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. — Eddie Bushyhead
° 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. — Billie Jo Swayney and Cherokee
° 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. — Irene Bedard

Sunday
° 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. — Storytelling and Tommy Wildcat
° 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. — Eddie Bushyhead, Iroquis Dancers and Alligator Wrestling
° 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. — Storytelling, Billie Jo Swayney and Pow Wow Dancers
° 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. — Eddie Bushyhead, Iroquis Dancers and Alligator Wrestling
° 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. — Irene Bedard
° 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. — Cherokee dancers and Billie Jo Swayney

Gate admissions: Adults $5, students $3, seniors $3
children 6 and under free

On Memorial Day weekend The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will celebrate its traditions with the Cherokee Heritage Street Festival. Located in and around the newly renovated Cherokee Indian Fair Grounds, the Cherokee Heritage Street Festival will showcase the unique culture of the indigenous peoples of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

During this two-day celebration, May 29 and 30, Cherokee artisans and vendors will be exhibiting their finest work in and around the Cherokee Indian Fair Grounds. The Fair Grounds is located in the heart of the cultural center of Cherokee, adjacent to the Museum of Cherokee Indians. This area includes the Cherokee Historical Society offices, Qualla Arts and Crafts Cooperative, Cherokee Welcome Center, Oconaluftee Indian Village, and the Mountainside Theatre (home of the long-running outdoor drama “Unto These Hills”).

Craftsmen specializing in woodcarving, pottery, gourd art, beadwork, leatherwork, pipestone carving, silverwork, and clothing will be sharing their talents. Museum quality works of art made with techniques handed down for generations will be on display. Some works will be available for purchase.

Food vendors will be on hand to provide the tastes of Cherokee foods, as well as standard fare. In addition to a variety of breads, soups and meat preparations, you will have the opportunity to sample the award-winning Cherokee Bottled Water. The water springs from the Oconaluftee River. It is captured there and bottled by the Cherokee.

Music and dance are integral parts of the Cherokee heritage. Stages will be erected to accommodate Cherokee’s finest traditional singers and dancers. Many of the instruments used by Cherokees are hand-made and some are passed from father to son, generation after generation. The songs and dances of the Cherokee have been done in the Blue Ridge Mountains for centuries.

Daniel Tramper, World Champion Hoop Dancer and enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, will give an exhibition. The hoop dance is a Native American dance that symbolizes a sacred part of life. The circle or hoop represents the circle of life with no beginning and no ending. Daniel, as he takes you through the dance, will begin with one hoop, then keep adding and weaving the hoops into shapes that represent the Native American journey through life.

While Cherokee heritage will be the focus of this two-day event, other great entertainment will be on-hand to honor other Native American nations. Irene Bedard, noted speaker, will be at the event. She has appeared in films and was the voice for Pocahontas in a Disney movie. Also appearing will be Billie Jo Swayney performing a variety of songs with his band. The Iroquis Dancers will give an exhibition of Native American Dance.