Native American Feast Days
When the Spanish came to New Mexico in the 1500s, they brought with them their Roman
Catholic religion. Missionaries traveled to this new territory to bring their faith
to the Native American peoples living there, converting many. However, native beliefs
and customs persevered and became intertwined with those brought by the Spanish
colonists.
Today, feast days are as much celebrations of ancient Native American traditions
and heritage as they are commemorations of Catholic saints. Feast days include traditional
dances, cultural activities, food, and arts and crafts vendors. Each dance
tells a different story and serves a different purpose. Every dance is considered
a prayer, not a performance, and as such, outsiders are privileged to observe them.
Drums beat with an insistent cadence and the air is filled with the fragrance of
piñon smoke.
Attending a Feast Day
Native American feast days allow tribal members to come together in a renewal of
their language, culture, and religion. On these days, the communities celebrating
a feast day are open to the public, and members of the tribe will prepare a
variety of bountiful meals to share with their visiting guests.
Visitors are often fascinated to see that pueblo life is a window to another
world. Not relegated to history books or museums, this is a living culture that
carries on the centuries-old traditions of their ancestors.
Calendar
Feast days are held on the same date every year. In addition to celebrating smaller
feast days, most communities have a larger "annual feast day" celebration in
honor of their patron saint.
Before attending one of these great, vibrant cultural celebrations, be sure to review
Native American cultural etiquette.
January
Jan 1 Most Pueblos:
Various dances, Transfer of Canes of Authority to new Tribal Officers
Jan 1 Taos Pueblo:
Turtle Dance, marking the beginning of the new year
Jan 6 Most pueblos:
King's Day Celebration in honor of new Tribal Officers, Antelope, Buffalo, Deer
dances
Jan 22 San Ildefonso:
Evening Firelight Dances
Jan 23 San Ildefonso:
Pueblo Feast Day, Comanche, Buffalo and Deer dances throughout the day
Jan 25 Picuris Pueblo, Ohkay
Owingeh/San Juan Pueblo: St Paul's Feast Day
February
Feb 2 Picuris Pueblo, San
Felipe Pueblo: Candelaria Day Celebration
1st weekend of Feb Old Acoma
Pueblo: Governor's Feast Day, various dances
2nd week of Feb San Juan
Pueblo: Deer dances
March
Mar 19 Laguna Pueblo:
Saint Joseph's Feast Day, Harvest and various other dances
Easter Weekend Most pueblos:
Dances
April
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May
May 1 San Felipe Pueblo:
Feast Day, Corn dance
May 3 Taos Pueblo:
Santa Cruz Feast Day, Corn dance, blessing of the fields, traditional foot races
May 7 Pueblo of Acoma:
Santa Maria Feast Day
May 8 Jemez Pueblo:
Giusewa Powwow, at Jemez State Monument
May 26 - 27 (Memorial Day Weekend)
Jemez Pueblo: Weekend Jemez Red Rocks Arts and Crafts Show
June
First Saturday in June Tesuque
Pueblo: Blessing of the Fields
June 13 Picuris, Sandia,
San Idlefonso, Ohkay Owingeh/San Juan, Santa Clara and Taos Pueblos:
St Anthony's Feast Day / San Antonio Feast Day, Comanche or Corn dance
Father's Day weekend Picuris
Pueblo: High Country Arts & Crafts Festival
June 23 San Juan Pueblo:
Vespers, foot race and Buffalo dance
June 24 Ohkay Owingeh/San
Juan Pueblo: San Juan Feast Day, Corn dance. Comanche/Buffalo dance.
Taos Pueblo: Corn dance
June 29 Santa Domingo Pueblo/Santa
Ana Pueblo: Corn dances. San Pedro/St. Peter Feast Day
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July
July 4 Nambe Pueblo:
Celebration of the Waterfall.
Mescalero Apache: Maiden's Puberty
Rites & Mountain Spirits Dance
Second weekend in July Taos
Pueblo: Annual Intertribal Powwow
July 14 Cochiti Pueblo:
St. Bonaventure Feast Day, Corn dances
Third weekend in July Eight
Northern Indian Pueblos: 36th Annual Arts and Crafts Show
Third weekend in July Jicxarilla
Apache: Little Beaver Celebration and Dances. Includes Pro-Indian/Open
Rodeo, Powwow, dances, and more
July 25-26 San Ildefonso,
Taos, Laguna, Santa Ana Pueblos: Santiago and Santa Ana Feast Day dances
Last weekend in July Zuni
Pueblo: Zuni Arts and Cultural Expo
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Aug 4 Santo Domingo Pueblo:
Saint Dominic Annual Feast Day and Corn Dance. For information: (505) 465-2214.
Aug 6-10 Gallup Inter-Tribal
Indian Ceremonial: At Red Rock State Park near Gallup. Parades, rodeo,
arts and crafts, dances, food, golf tourney, auctions, more. Parking and admission
fees at Red Rock State Park. For information visit www.gallup-ceremonial.org or
call 505.863.3896.
Aug 8-10 Zuni Cultural Arts
Expo, Zuni NM: For Information visit
www.zunitourism.com or call the visitor center at 505-782-7238
Aug 9 San Lorenzo Annual
Feast Day: at Picuris Pueblo
Aug 10 Trade Fair and Races
at the Picuris Pueblo: For information contact Picuris pueblo for all
information. (575) 587-2519.
Aug 10 San Lorenzo Feast
Day: Throw Day and dances at Acoma Pueblo. For information: (505) 252-1139
or (800) 747-0181.
Aug 10 San Lorenzo Feast
Day: Cochiti Pueblo. For information: (505) 465-2244.
Aug 10 San Lorenzo Feast
Day: Throw Day and dancing at Laguna Pueblo where people named Lawrence
or Lorenzo throw items from rooftops to visitors. For information: (505) 552-6654.
Aug 12 Santa Clara Feast
Day: Buffalo and other dances at Santa Clara Pueblo. For information:
(505) 753-7326.
Aug 15 Assumption of Our
Blessed Mother's Feast Day: Harvest and other dances at Village of Mesita,
Laguna Pueblo. For information: (505) 552-6654.
Aug 23-24 Santa Fe Indian
Market: At the Plaza in Santa Fe. Native American artists and craftspeople
from all over the country exhibit. Juried competition, dances, food. No admission
fee. For information: www.swaia.org or (505) 983-5220.
Late August Picuris Tri-Cultural
Arts & Crafts Show: At Picuris Pueblo. Call to confirm dates and
times: (575) 587-2519.
Aug TBA Ramah Fair:
Parade, pow-wow, arts and crafts, sanctioned and open show rodeos, queen's contest,
barbeque, baby contest, 5k run, more. At Pinehill Chapter House, Ramah, New Mexico,
Navajo Reservation.
Aug 28 Saint Augustine Feast
Day: Isleta Pueblo Morning mass followed by a procession. Dances in the
afternoon at the Isleta Pueblo. For information: (505) 869-3111.
Aug 30-31 Totah Festival:
Crafts fair and pow-wow at the Farmington Civic Center, Farmington. Marketplace,
rug auction, contest pow-wow, more. For information: (800) 448-1240 or
www.farmingtonnm.org.
September
Sept 1-7 Navajo Nation
Fair. Traditional songs and dances, parade, Miss Navajo Nation Pageant,
midway, rodeos, pow-wow, food, more at the Navajo Nation Fairgrounds, Window Rock,
Arizona, Navajo Reservation. For information: Navajo Nation Fair Office: (928) 871-6478
or
www.navajonationfair.com.
Sept 2 San Estevan Feast
Day. Old Acoma Pueblo- Sky City, Acoma Pueblo. Harvest Dances. For information:
www.skycity.com or 1-888-Sky-City
Labor Day Weekend Annual
Arts & Crafts Market. At Santo Domingo Pueblo. For information: (505)
465-2214.
Sept 4 San Augustine Feast
Day. Isleta Pueblo. For information: (505) 869-3111.
Sept 8 Nativity of the Blessed Virgin
Mary's Feast Day. Harvest and social dances at Village of Encinal,
Laguna Pueblo. For information: (505) 552-6654.
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary's Feast
Day. San Ildefonso Pueblo. Corn Dances For information: (505) 455-3549.
2nd or 3rd weekend Go-Jii-Yah
Feast Day. At Stone Lake, Jicarilla Apache Reservation. For exact dates
and event information: (575) 843-7270 or (575) 759-3242.
Sept 19 St. Joseph's Annual Feast
Day. Old Laguna Village. Buffalo, Eagle and Social Dances at Laguna
Pueblo. For information: (505) 552-6654.
Sept 25 St. Elizabeth's Feast Day.
Harvest and Social Dances at Village of Paguate, Laguna Pueblo. For information:
(505) 552-6654.
Sept 29-30 Feast of San Geronimo.
Taos Pueblo. Dances, races, pole climb, arts and crafts fair at the Taos Pueblo.
Per vehicle admission fee. Free bus is provided between parking area and the Pueblo
for those who don't want to walk. For information:
www.taospueblo.com or (575) 758-1028.
October
Oct 4 St. Francis of
Assisi Feast Day. Nambe Pueblo. Pueblo Dances. For information: (505)
455-2036.
Oct 4-7 Shiprock Navajo Nation
Fair. Dancing, song and dance competition, arts and crafts, rodeos parade,
more at the oldest annual Navajo Fair at Shiprock, New Mexico, Navajo Reservation.
At the Shiprock Fairgrounds. For information: www.snf-inc.com.
Oct 11-12 Walatowa Visitor
Center just North of Jemez Pueblo. This event will feature traditional
dances, bread baking demonstration, as well as both Native and Non-Native artists
selling their goods. (9am-5pm). www.jemezpueblo.com or email tourism@jemezpueblo.com
Oct 17 St. Margaret Mary's
Feast Day. Village of Paraje, Laguna Pueblo Harvest and Social Dances
at. For information: (505) 552-6654.
Nov 12 San Diego Feast Day
Tesuque Pueblo. Flag, Buffalo, Corn, Comanche and Deer Dances at the
Tesuque Pueblo. For information: (505) 983-2667.
Nov 27 Christmas Light Parade.
Zuni Pueblo. For Information visit
www.zunitourism.com or call the visitor center at 505-782-7238
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December
1st Weekend Walatowa Winter
Arts and Crafts Fair. Jemez Pueblo. For information: (505) 834-7235.
Dec 11-12 Nuestra Senora
de Guadalupe Feast Day. Pojoaque Pueblo. Pueblo Dances. For information:
(505) 455-3460.
Dec 11-12 Nuestra Senora
de Guadalupe Feast Day. Bow and Arrow, Comanche and Buffalo Dances at
Tesuque Pueblo. For information: (505) 983-2667.
Dec 24-28 Christmas Celebrations
by Pueblo. Please contact Pueblo Tribal Offices directly to confirm if
community is open to general public.
Dec 25-29 Old
Acoma Pueblo. Sky City. Dances, luminarias. Christmas festivals at San Estevan
del Rey Mission, Sky City, Acoma. For information: www.skycity.com or call 1-888-Sky-City
Dec 25-28 Old Laguna Pueblo.
Dec. 25th 10 p.m. Christmas Eve Mass. Deer, Harvest, Arrow and other Dances after
mass. Harvest dances continue for three more days. For information: (505) 552-6654.
Dec 24 Nambe Pueblo.
Christmas Eve Mass followed by Buffalo, Deer and Antelope Dances.
Dec 24 Picuris Pueblo.
Christmas celebrations and "Los Matachines."
Dec 24 San Felipe Pueblo.
Dances after midnight mass. Dances Dec 25th.
Dec 24-25 Ohkay Owingeh (Formally
San Juan Pueblo). Spanish dance drama "Los Matachines" and Pine Torch
Procession.
Dec 24-25 San Ildefonso.
Christmas celebrations and various dances.
Dec 24-25 Santa Clara.
Christmas celebrations and various dances.
Dec 24 Taos Pueblo.
Sundown Procession with bonfires.
Dec 24 Tesuque Pueblo.
Dances after midnight mass.
Dec 25-28 Zia.
Pueblo Dances.
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