Events

Event listings are FREE of charge. Send your flyers/info to Scott at scotmckie@ebci-nsn.gov or to Cherokeeonefeather1966@gmail.com

BENEFITS/FUNDRAISERS

Turkey Shoots at the Jesse Welch Turkey Shoot Facility in the Big Cove Community.

  • April 1 at 3 p.m., benefit for little Sofia Cagle.

Good food, good fun, great prizes, great benefits.

Cherokee Speakers Council Bingo and Silent Auction. April 1 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Big Cove Gym. Concession will be available. Donations accepted. Hosted by the Kolanvyi Indian Ball Teams, all proceeds will go to the Cherokee Speakers Council. Info: Z. Michelle Long 359-6416 or Kayla Pheasant 359-6406

 

EBCI COMMUNITY EVENTS 

EBCI Community Garden Kit Giveaways. Must be a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and must show enrollment card to receive a garden kit. One kit per household. Info: EBCI Cooperative Extension 359-6939
– April 3 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Cherokee County Community Club Pavilion.
– April 3 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Jacob Cornsilk Complex in the Snowbird Community.
– April 5 at the Yellowhill Community Basketball Court. 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. Elders only, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. all others

Kindergarten Information Night. April 3 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Dora Reed Center Multi-Purpose Room. The following schools will be on site with information: Cherokee, Swain East, and Smokey Mountain. Info: Laura Owl 359-3003

Start By Believing Event. April 5 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Water Beetle Stage at 498 Tsali Blvd., Cherokee, N.C. Join the EBCI Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Program to raise awareness about sexual assault by telling your story, connecting with others, and learning appropriate responses when someone discloses a sexual assault. There will be an open mic at this event to share your story. If you are interested in open mic time at the event, please contact Kayla Bigmeat 359-6867.

Easter Egg Market. April 6 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Yellowhill Activity Center. Lots of local vendors and crafts. Lunch by Melitia. Info: Denise Walkingstick 508-2211

Virtual Forager Fridays with the Museum of the Cherokee Indian. View via the Museum of the Cherokee Indian’s YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@cherokeemuseum)

  • Ramps. April 14 at 5 p.m. – YouTube premiere. Virtually tag along with a Cherokee forager on the hunt for ramps—wild onions that thrive on the Qualla Boundary and surrounding areas during the springtime. Learn how to identify and sustainably harvest this favorite allium so generations to come can continue to enjoy its bounty.
  • Sochan. April 28 at 5 p.m. – YouTube premiere. Join the search for the flowering stalk sochan (also known as the green-headed coneflower or cutleaf coneflower), a delectable wild springtime green.
  • Wild Strawberries. May 12 at 5 p.m. – YouTube premiere. Join the search for the flowering stalk sochan (also known as the green-headed coneflower or cutleaf coneflower), a delectable wild springtime green.

Branch Lettuce. May 26 at 5 p.m. – YouTube premeire. The final Forager Friday of the season calls for branch lettuce—sometimes called “wild lettuce”— a versatile late spring green.

Virtual class, How to Plant and Grow Corn Beads. April 19 at 5 p.m. – YouTube premiere. Learn the step-by-step process behind planting, growing, and harvesting your very own corn beads to adorn clothing or jewelry. View via the Museum of the Cherokee Indian’s YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@cherokeemuseum)

7th Annual Spring Garden Fair. April 21-22 at the Yellowhill Activity Center. Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Seeds, plants, yard art, education, and a RePurpose It contest for youth ages 5-17. Info: Lucille 736-5285, Hope 736-5453, or email Carmaleta at carmaleta@msn.com

Virtual Cooking Demonstration: Blackberry and Grape Dumplings with Nakota Chiltoskie (EBCI). May 8 at 5 p.m. – YouTube premiere. Blackberry and grape dumplings have been a beloved dish among Southeastern tribes for centuries. Tune in and learn how to make and share something sweet this spring. View via the Museum of the Cherokee Indian’s YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@cherokeemuseum)

Make Your Own Ribbon Skirt class. May 20 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian. Open to enrolled members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians or other federally recognized tribes, this Community Learning workshop, taught by Kristy Maney Herron, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, guides attendees through the ribbon skirt making process from start to finish. This class is open to a limited number of participants and is offered at no charge. Participants must supply their own materials. Info: www.mci.org or (828) 497-3481

Cherokee High School Commencement Events.

  • CHS Senior Parade. May 24 at 4 p.m.
  • May 24 at 6 p.m. (following parade) in the Chief Joyce Dugan Cultural Arts Center
  • May 25 at 7:30 p.m. in Ray Kinsland Stadium at CHS.

37th Annual Fading Voices. May 27 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Little Snowbird Church playground, Snowbird Community, Robbinsville, N.C. Mound Ceremony at 11 a.m. Demonstrations: beadwork, pottery, quilting, wood carving, storytelling, and much more. Info: 735-4959, 582-7369, or 479-1201

Annual Kituwah Celebration. June 9 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Kituwah Mound. Celebrating the return of the Mother Town.

 

HEALTH & SPORTS EVENTS

Tai Chi classes. Fridays from 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. for the month of March in the Welch Top Conference Center at the Cherokee Indian Hospital. Benefits include improved strength, flexibility, aerobic conditioning, and balance. Info: Ulela Harris, Cherokee Indian Hospital, 497-9163 ext. 7575

 

SUPPORT GROUPS 

Cherokee Cancer Support Group meets the first Thursday of each month at Betty’s Place at 40 Goose Creek Road in the Birdtown Community. A potluck is held at 5:30 p.m. and the meeting is open to all. Betty’s Place is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. They provide counseling and support services to cancer patients that may include supplies, travel, and meals. Info: 497-0788

 

UPCOMING POW WOWS 

Note: This list of pow wows was compiled by One Feather staff. The One Feather does not endorse any of these dances. It is simply a listing of ones occurring throughout the continent. Please call before traveling.

43rd Annual Spring Pow Wow. April 1 at America First Event Center in Cedar City, Utah. MC: Alex Shepard. Host Drum: Indian Creek. NASA Club (435) 322-0028, nativeasasuu@gmail.com

O’ahu Native Nationz Organization Pow Wow in Paradise. April 1-2 at Magic Island in Honolulu, Hawaii. MC: Kenneth “Tuffy” Helgeson. Host Drums: The Boyz, 808NDNs. Info: Lynnae Lawrence at ONNOpowwow@gmail.com

University of Central Oklahoma’s 50th Annual Pow Wow. April 1 at UCO Hamilton Field House in Edmond, Okla. MC: Marty Thurman. Head Southern Singer: Kingston Pipestem. Info: Chris Hendricks (405) 974-3626 or chendricks4@uco.edu

Youth Pow Wow. April 1 at Grogan Park in Eden, N.C. MC: Vincent Short. Host Drums: Rez Ratz, Young Waters. Info: (336) 416-4913 or patrickjsuarez@gmail.com

Kiowa Tribe Liaison Office for Veterans Affairs Art Festival and Pow Wow. April 7-8 at the Kiowa Community Center in Carnegie, Okla. Emcees: Tim Yeahquo and Warren Queton. Head Southern Singer: Sydney Toppah Sr. Info: Pershing Yeahquo (405) 274-2426 or LaRue Guoladdie (580) 919-1315

Relations & Resilience Pow Wow. April 8 at Ed Robson Arena, Colorado College, in Colorado Springs, Colo. MC: Steve LaPointe. Host Northern Drum: Medicine Bull. Host Southern Drum: Southern Plains. Info: Fer Juarez Duran (404) 281-9389 or f_juarezduran@coloradocollege.edu

San Diego State Pow Wow. April 8 at San Diego State University soccer field in San Diego, Calif. Info: Chris Medellin (619) 594-3188 or cmedellin@sdsu.edu

 

WESTERN N.C. & BEYOND EVENTS 

Visit here for events for the Murphy Arts Center in Murphy, N.C.

ecoEXPLORE for children grades K-8. March 29 at 4 p.m.in the Storytime Room at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva. This month, participants will be celebrating the botany season with Emily from Balsam Mountain Trust, learning about the complex lives of plants. This program is free and open to the public. Info: 586-2016

Cherokee Days Festival. March 31 to April 2 at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. The three federally recognized Cherokee tribes—Cherokee Nation, United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians, and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians—showcase the shared history and cultural lifeways of the Cherokee people through storytelling, traditional flute music, weaponry, woodcarving, beadwork, traditional games, basket weaving, pottery demonstrations, and music and dance performances. and dance performances. Info: https://americanindian.si.edu/events/

Modern Political Philosophy a four-part series. On the four Tuesdays in April from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva, N.C. Led by retired Clemson professor Todd May, this series will be in the Community Room.  It is free, and no registration necessary. Info: Jackson County Public Library 586-2016

Southwestern Community College community courses.

  • Raku Potter. March 6-29, Mondays and Wednesdays 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. $70, Swain Center Room 125. Instructor – J. McKee. Learn the art of Raku. Explore crackle and luster glazes. Students will learn what types of forms to create and how to glaze and fire them. Cost of materials not included. Pre-req: Beginning Wheel and/or instructor’s permission
  • Horse Hair Pottery. April 3-26, Mondays and Wednesdays 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. $70, Swain Center Room 125. Instructor – J. McKee. Explore this simple process that creates expressive results. Students will learn what types of clays to use, what shapes and forms best, and how to safely use this process. Cost of materials not included. Pre-req: Beginning Wheel and/or instructor’s permission
  • Beginning Wheel II. April 4 – May 25, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. $125, Swain Center Room 123. Instructor – M. Burrell. For beginning students. Students will learn to center clay on a wheel and make basic forms including cylinders, bowls, and plates, as well as turning, trimming, and glazing basic forms. Must be 18-years-old or older. No pre-requisite. Cost of materials not included.
  • Color & Weave. May 5-6, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $70, Swain Center Room 123. Learn the basics of weaving and create a table runner or scarf in this two-day workshop. Spend the first day on how to warp and set up your loom, then begin weaving. The second day, you will continue to weave and complete your project. All materials provided. No pre-requisite.

Info: Register online at: https://www.southwesterncc.edu/class-schedule

Lecture Series at Sequoyah Birthplace Museum (Dr. Lin Stepp). April 1 at 1 p.m. in the multi-purpose room. Dr. Lin Stepp will be lecturing and holding a book signing for her latest book, “Seeking Ayita” which is set in Cherokee, N.C. This is a free lecture. Info: Museum at (423) 884-6246

Carly Robbins Reading and Book Signing. April 1 at 3 p.m. at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva, N.C. Robbins will be presenting her new book in the “Secret Series” entitled “Secrets of the Unforgiven”. Info: 586-9499

Matzo Ball Soup demonstration. April 4 at 11 a.m. at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva, N.C. In this hands-on demonstration, participants will make, sample, and learn the significance of Matzo Ball Soup in Jewish culture. This program is in the Atrium and is free of charge, however sign-up is required as space is limited. Registration required by emailing JCPL-Adults@fontanalib.org or calling 586-2016.

Swain County Genealogical and Historical Society meeting. April 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the Swain County Regional Business Education and Training Center at 45 East Ridge Drive in Bryson City, N.C. Roy Burnette will be presenting “A Lost Mountain Tradition: Foxhunting”. Conversation and refreshments will follow the presentation. This is free and open to the public.

Easter Hat Parade. April 15 at 2 p.m. in Dillsboro, N.C. Judges select the best hats in more than 20 categories including: biggest, smallest, funniest, best-smelling, “poofy-est”, most creatives, most spring-like, and most outrageous. Easter egg hunt starts at 10:30 a.m.

Women’s Health Awareness Wellness Conference. April 15 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Long’s Chapel United Methodist Church in Waynesville, N.C. Free health screenings, health education sessions, healthy living sessions, and health resources. Registration is free. Register at: https://niehs.nih.gov/womenshealthawareness. Info: (919) 541-3852, WHA@niehs.nih.gov

Cherokee High School and Teacher exhibit. May 3-29 at the Haywood County Arts Council 86 N Mail St, Waynesville, N.C. This specially curated exhibit, curated by Lori Reed, features work of Cherokee High School students and their teachers in celebration of the unveiling of the Cherokee-inspired and -designed mural on the HCAC’s building back wall facing Wall Street. Info: www.haywoodartscouncil.org, (828) 452-0593

Plott-Toberfest. Oct. 5-8 in Canton, N.C. Sponsored by the Haywood County Historical & Genealogical Society. Traditional German heritage will be featured. Info: 564-1044, nchchgs.org

Happenings at John C Campbell School at 1 Folk School Road in Brasstown, N.C. All events are open to the public. Info: www.folkschool.org/events

 

  • Tuesday, March 14:Dance and Social with Tom Morely w/House Band & Caller. 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Friday, March 17Concert with Stringer’s Ridge. 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Tuesday, March 21:Dance and Social with Bob and Amy Buckingham w/ House Caller. 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Saturday, March 25:Community Dance with House band w/Nancy Mamlin. 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Tuesday, March 28Dance and Social with House Band & Caller. 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Friday, March 31:Concert with Larry Unger. 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.