ADA, OK – Chickasaws from around the world will gather to celebrate cultural pride during the Chickasaw Annual Meeting and Festival, Sept. 27 through Oct. 5. A wide array of activities will be conducted in communities throughout the Chickasaw Nation.
Each year, Chickasaw tribal members travel from near and far to attend the week-long event, which is highlighted by Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby’s State of the Nation Address, set for 9:00am, Oct. 5, at the Aiitafama’ Ishto “large meeting place” on the Chickasaw Capitol grounds in Tishomingo, OK.
The tradition of Chickasaw Annual Meeting began in 1960, when more than 100 Chickasaws met at Seeley Chapel near Connerville, OK, to discuss the state of their nation and a vision for the future. The Chickasaw Nation pays tribute to this historic event each year by celebrating Chickasaw pride and progress during the Chickasaw Annual Meeting and Festival. This year marks the 64th Annual Meeting of the Chickasaw Nation and 36th Chickasaw Festival.
Chickasaw Annual Meeting and Festival features a wide array of events and celebrations including the coronation of tribal princesses, stickball games, a 5K run and one-mile fun walk, archery, senior and junior Olympics, golf, horseshoe and cornhole tournaments, and more.
A hub of activity is the capitol grounds, where activities from cultural demonstrations, educational tours, stickball, children’s activities, and the Southeastern Art Show and Market (SEASAM) are located. Other events planned for the week include a parade, arts and crafts vendors, food booths, a health fair, a parent/child fishing tournament, archery tag, storytelling, live entertainment, and more.
