Celebrating long time traditions in the modern world
Staff Reports
A massive celebration of Indigenous art, culture, and sports is returning to Gallup! The 104th Annual Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial kicks off July 31 and runs all the way through Aug. 9.
This iconic, century-spanning tradition brings together Native American tribes, artists, and visitors from all across North America for 10 unforgettable days. Expect everything from traditional dance and fine art exhibitions to high-energy rodeos, parades, and community events.
Things get rolling July 31 with artist check-in at the Red Rock Park Exhibit Hall, where local creators bring in their artwork to be judged and sold.
Aug. 1 starts early with a 6:30 am 5k Fun Walk/Run at Ellis Tanner Trading Co., followed by the Open Junior Rodeo over at Red Rock Park. If you love live music, head to Courthouse Square for the Native Music Fan Fair, running all day from 10 am to 10 pm.
The energy really picks up Aug. 5. Check out the Exhibit Hall Opening Night from 6 pm to 10 pm at the Red Rock Park Museum Plaza, complete with a Pageant Meet and Greet and a silent auction. Over in the main arena, the Iron Cowgirl Challenge will be in full swing.
On Aug. 6, check out the pageant traditional foods demonstration and Little Miss Ceremonial public speaking competition at 11 am in the Marland Aitson Amphitheater.
Later that evening, make your way downtown for the World Famous Night Parade at 7 pm. Just keep in mind that city officials will start closing streets along Highway 66 and Coal Avenue (between Second and Eighth Streets) starting at 2 pm. Right after the parade, head over to the Red Rock Park main arena at 7:30 pm for the Open Rodeo Roughstock Buckout.
The final weekend is packed with heavy-hitter cultural events.
On Aug. 7, the El Morro Theatre hosts traditional talent presentations and a fashion show starting at noon for the Miss Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial Queen pageant.
You won’t want to miss the stunning La Danza de los Voladores (The Flying Men) performance at the Pow-Wow Arena, happening Aug. 7 and 8 at 7 pm. Both evenings will also feature contest pow-wows at 7:30 pm, alongside traditional night dances in the main arena at 8 pm.
The next day brings another huge parade through Downtown Gallup at 9 am (heads up: street closures start at midnight). Later at 1 pm, local youth take the spotlight at the Inter-Tribal Skate Jam at Gallup Skate Park.
Aug. 9 starts off right—the first 500 elders over age 60 get in free! The morning features a 10 am Cowboy Church service, a Home Depot Kids Build at Red Rock Park, and a Navajo Song & Dance presentation at the pavilion.
The week wraps up with action-packed arena events, starting with Wooly Riding at 11:30 am, leading into the Open Rodeo Top 10 Short-Round and the Amigo Automotive Old School Days Rodeo at noon.
When it comes to admission, all-access general passes cost $15 for adults, while children ages 12 and under attend for free. Parking on-site is completely free for everyone. Keep in mind that a single $15 ticket covers any event at Red Rock Park for the day, but if you leave the park grounds, you will need to purchase another ticket to re-enter.
Organizers are using Eventbrite to coordinate digital ticket sales again this year. Kyle Tom, director of the Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Association, shared that the platform has been a game-changer for tracking crowd sizes and gathering visitor feedback.
In fact, post-event surveys from last year revealed a surprising stat: out of 1,600 attendees surveyed, 1,400 completed the form and revealed that the Pow-Wow was actually the second highest-attended event of the entire week.
Behind the scenes, organizers are still looking for volunteers to help direct parking throughout the event, and anyone interested in lending a hand can call the association office at (505) 863-3896.
For Tom, who has led the gathering for many years, the heart of the event goes far beyond simple scheduling—it is about bringing the whole community together.
He summed up the spirit of the event by sharing, “It’s more than Native culture, it’s Gallup culture. It’s not about your background, it’s about who we are as people of this town.”
Planning on coming to Gallup for the festivities? You can find a complete, day-by-day print schedule to take with you on pages A4 and A5 of this issue.
