Menu

Ganondagan Indigenous Music & Arts Festival. July 22 & 23, 2023. Image of Moontee Sinquah hoop dancing, Ronnie Reitter storytelling, 2 Haudenosaunee social dancers in regalia, Tonia Galban storytelling, and December Wind at the end

Indigenous Music & Arts Festival

July 22 & 23, 2022: 10 am - 5 pm

Ganondagan's Indigenous Music & Arts Festival takes place Saturday and Sunday, July 22 - 23, 2023. The annual event showcases Haudenosaunee and Indigenous cultures through dance, music, storytelling, traditional craft demonstrations, a Native American Arts Market, children's activities, raffles, guided trail walks, gallery tours, Indigenous food, and more. 

This year's festival features Native folk-rock band, December Wind (Mohawk), hoop dance champions and performers, the Sinquah Family Dance Troupe (Hopi/Tewa/Choctaw), storytellers Ronnie Reitter (Seneca) & Tonia Galban (Mohawk), and Haudenosaunee social dancers, Indigenous Spirit Dancers

 

This year's event is free but if you are able, please consider donating $5/ person, $10/family to help support the festival.

Nya:wëh (Thank you)!

 


Image of a cartoon water bottle with text: Bring your own water bottle! Hydration stations available throughout the festival

Festival ATM

ATM Icon

ATM is located in SACC Lobby

December Wind promo poster of band members faces with a nebula behind them

December Wind

December Wind is a Native folk-rock band led by two-time Native American Music Award winning artist, Atsiaktonkie (Mohawk) accompanied by bass guitarist, Terry Terrance (Mohawk). Based out of Massena, NY they play acoustic folk-rock infused with their Akwesasne/Kanienkehaka (Mohawk) culture. Their songs are filled with stories of love, hope, the struggles of native peoples and the beauty of their heritage. “As an Indigenous person, I grab on tightly to our beautiful culture and let it shine out of the songs.” - Atsiaktonkie (Mohawk)

Shelley Morningsong and Fabian Fontenelle wearing traditional regalia

Sinquah Family Dance Troupe

Performing Sunday only, the Sinquah Family Dance Troupe are Hopi/Tewa/Choctaw nations, from the Hopi villages located in northern Arizona. The troupe consists of Moontee Sinquah and his sons, Sampson and Scott, all of whom are deeply rooted in the Hopi culture and tradition. These talented family members have presented at the World Championship Hoop Dance Contest, throughout Canada, Croatia and at the Winter Olympics in Atlanta. The dancers believe that to entertain is to educate and hoop dancing is a way of celebrating the traditions and passing on the torch to youth.

Indigenous Spirit Dancer at Baseball stadium

Tonia Loran Galban

Haudenosaunee Social Dancing, Storytelling & more!

Popular Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Social Dancing returns, performing twice daily this year will be the Indigenous Spirit Dancers in full regalia. You’ll also find our fascinating Native American Arts Market, traditional arts demonstrators, Indigenous foods, Haudenosaunee storytelling as told by Ronnie Reitter (Seneca) and Tonia Loran Galban (Mohawk),"hands-on" fun in the Wegmans Family Discovery Tent, free admission to the Seneca Art & Culture Center, guided trail walks, bark longhouse tours, and much more. 

Haudenosaunee dancer performing in traditional regalia

Ronnie Reitter, wearing a ribbon dress and holding a corn husk doll, tells a story onstage


Admission

2023 Special- FREE Admission for ALL
 
"This year, we are offering free admission to the Indigenous Music & Arts festival as a way to do something good for the community, promote unity, and encourage people to get to know about Haudenosaunee and Indigenous cultures.
Program Director, Jeanette Jemison (Mohawk).
 
This year's event is free but if you are able, please consider donating $5/ person, $10/family to help support the festival. 
 
 

ASL Interpretation

ASL Interpretation provided at the main stage, throughout performances

Sponsored by The National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID), a college of Rochester Institute of Technology

Festival Parking Information

Free parking and shuttle service is available from 9:45 am - 6:15 pm at Fireman's Field. Shuttle service runs every 10 -15 minutes. 

Parking at the Seneca Art & Culture Center parking lot is for Accessible Parking with Permit only. Preferred parking at Ganondagan's multipurpose field will be available for current Friends of Ganondagan Members with their membership card (must have membership card with you). 

Directions to Victor Fireman's Field
Coming from Route 96 (Main St) turn onto Maple Ave/Rt 444, Fireman's Field is on the right across from St. Patrick's Church (turning after the Pedestrian Crossing sign)

Fireman's Field

350;350;f2f0d15a6ee7107ca254468e2fc3270b5056a8a1350;350;b74ecff37a8a87064fdcf2a87179b0afc2b66d38350;350;429cdfd290be78e78d3625d667174dc81b27adb8

Colorful cartoon hands with hearts in palms, reaching up together. Text reads: Volunteers Needed!

Festival Volunteers Needed!

Our Indigenous Music and Arts Festival is not possible without volunteers like you!

If you have the time, please sign up to volunteer. Positions needed include greeters, parking attendants, raffle attendants, hospitality, staffing for family activities in the Family Discovery Tent, volunteer check-in, recycling sorters, and flexible people able to act as extra hands and pitch in wherever needed. Sign-up today!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090445a9ad23a5f85-volunteers2#/

For questions regarding volunteering please contact: aimee@ganondagan.org


The Indigenous Music & Arts Festival is made possible by generous Sponsorship

 

"New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature."