5 Must Attend Events in October 2017

October is a great month because of Halloween, Halloween, and Halloween. Okay, so I know there is more to October than just Halloween but it just happens to be that Halloween is our household’s favorite holiday. Other October events include the recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, the Arizona Native American Recognition Days, which kicked off at the end of September and conclude in December, and outdoor festivals galore (thanks to the cooler Phoenix weather). However, this month I’ve identified five must attend events, which was especially hard because of all the amazing Arizona Native American Recognition Days events. Since I limit this blog post to five events there are really cool events that don’t always make the blog and so be sure to check my curated list of events on my Redstreak Girl Facebook page.

 

 

Native American Connections Parade & Opening of the Phoenix Indian School Visitors Center

Saturday, October 14, 2017 – Phoenix, AZ
Native American Connections Parade, 9am-11am
Grand Opening of the Phoenix Indian School Visitor Center, 11:30am-4pm

The Native American Connections Parade is an annual parade taking place in Phoenix that has been happening for 35 years! The Native American Connections Parade begins at 9am at 3rd Street and Oak and heads north along 3rd Street to the Steele Indian School Park. The parade has become tradition for the growing American Indian community and participants include traditional dancers, Royalty, Native American youth groups, Tribal and community leaders, and many more. Don’t forget to bring camping chairs to sit along the parade route!

This year’s parade is unique because it ends at the Indian Steele Park to celebrate the Grand Opening of the Phoenix Indian School Visitor Center. Thanks to the efforts of the Phoenix Indian Center and Native American Connections the historic music building at the Phoenix Indian School, located in the Steele Indian School Park, was renovated into a visitors center that will serve as educational resource about the history of the Phoenix Indian School. In a previous blog post I briefly discussed the significance of the Phoenix Indian School and I hope the visitor center is successful at raising awareness among people who may have had no idea that an American Indian boarding school resided in the center of Phoenix. I am looking forward to this celebration, which includes food trucks!

PIMC Indian Market

Saturday, October 21 2017 – Phoenix Indian Medial Center, Phoenix, AZ

I also love October because of the start of the Phoenix Indian Medical Center’s Indian Markets! Honestly, not much more to say other than I love supporting Indigenous artists and this is a great opportunity to start picking out holiday gifts! I also just noticed that PIMC Indian Markets are now held on Saturdays (rather than Wednesdays) and this 1st Indian Market coincides with the PIMC’s Native Health Family Expo.

 

23rd Annual Josiah N. Moore Memorial Scholarship Benefit Dinner

Saturday, October 21, 2017 – Courtyard Scottsdale Salt River, Scottsdale, AZ

The 23rd Annual Josiah N. Moore Memorial Scholarship Benefit Dinner is the event on this list I am the most proud of. Since 2013, I have served on the board of the Arizona State University Native American Alumni Chapter and have assisted in planning and carrying out our Chapter’s signature event, the Josiah N. Moore Memorial Scholarship Benefit Dinner. The Benefit Dinner was established in memory of Josiah N. Moore, an ASU professor and former Chairman of the Tohono O’oodham Nation, to provide and improve educational programs for Native American students at ASU. Today, the Benefit Dinner recognizes Native American student achievements by awarding scholarships to current ASU Native American students. This year’s Benefit Dinner includes an evening reception with a silent auction of Native American arts, dinner, and a keynote address given by Dr. John Molina of Native American Connections. I am an alumni of ASU three times over and am proud that my siblings are also ASU alumni; this is an event I won’t be missing.

 

34th Annual Roy Track Memorial Mesa Powwow

Friday-Sunday, October 27-29, 2017 – Mesa Riverview Park, Mesa, AZ

The 34th Annual Roy Track Memorial Mesa Powwow has also become a community tradition. This year’s annual community event has moved to a new location at the Mesa Riverview Park and kicks off on Friday night with a contemporary music concert. There is no admission to attend and this is another opportunity to support Native American artists!

 

Stranger Things Season 2 Premiere

Friday, October 27, 2017 – Your Living Room Couch

The premiere of Stranger Things Season 2 kicks off the Halloween weekend and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Halloween, than with an 80’s Halloween in The Upside Down with our favorite D&D adventurers. As a kid growing up in the 80’s, my Halloweens consisted of homemade costumes and walking in groups of neighborhood kids going door to door trick-or-treating. There was something magical about pulling together a costume for a monster or imaginary character out of materials found around your house. This Halloween both my daughters have been working tirelessly to build, paint, cut, and sew their costumes and I can’t wait to see the end result! This is a good reminder that my culture as a Native American, or really any person’s culture is not a costume so please don’t wear that Pocahontas / Pocahottie costume. (And yes, I resubscribed to Netflix after I boycotted it for releasing that horrible Adam Sandler ‘The Ridiculous 6’ movie.)

 

 

I hope one of these events catch your eye! Let me know if these are events you’re interested in and of other events I should be aware of. I love learning more about what is happening in the community!

Don’t forget to see a listing of other events that may interest you over on the Redstreak Girl Facebook page.

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