Calendar
Bozho nikanek (Hello friends) - I hope you can join your Potawatomi family and friends and attend one or more of the events below and otherwise celebrate our heritage and traditions. For any District #2-specific events that require an RSVP, please call my toll free number 888-849-1484 or email me at ecarney@potawatomi.org.
Saturday, February 21, 2026
CPN District 2 Beading Instruction/Meetup. 10 30 to 12 30 pm EST. District #2 resident and art student Mars Pursley will instruct on beading a medallion. Already working on a beading project? Bring it to share and work on if you'd like. I will be hosting folks at Saltbox, 4700 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA (it's an interesting shared office/warehouse space). Beading materials will be provided, as well as drinks and snacks. Please RSVP -- space can hold about 10 of us comfortably.
Saturday, March 14, 2026
District #2 Family Meeting and Lunch. 11 am to 2 30 pm ET. Meet at Pavilion #12 (Smokehouse), Hillsborough River State Park, 15402 US 301 North, Thonotosassa, FL 33592 (minutes northeast of downtown Tampa). Come visit with your family and friends, learn and share local and CPN family history, and enjoy lunch and conversation. Canoeing and kayaking available before or after the meeting (by reservation) and camping is offered, as well. The Park is open from 8 am to sundown each day. All park details are at www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/hillsborough-river-state-park. Please RSVP by 3/6/2026 to evamariecarney@gmail.com, or 1-888-849-1484, with names of attendees and ages if 12 or under.
Friday, June 26 through Sunday, June 28, 2026
Citizen Potawatomi Nation Family Reunion Festival. The Honored Families for 2026 are Acton, Bergeron, Bruno, Curley, Delonais, Greemore and Slavin. CPN members and their immediate family households are welcome. The Family Festival is always held during the last full weekend in June. The General Council elections are decided during the Festival, with in-person voting on Saturday before General Council. I hope to see many of you there!
Monday, July 27 through Sunday, August 2, 2026
2026 Potawatomi Language Conference and Gathering. Hosted by the Forest County Potawatomi Community. Visit gathering.fcpotawatomi.com/ for information and updates; also visit the Community's Facebook page. Detailed calendar is Language Conference -- Monday – Tuesday, July 27-28th; Gathering Meetings & Activities -- Wednesday – Friday July 29th-30th; and Powwow -- Friday – Saturday July 31st–August 1st.
Monday, October 12, 2026
Indigenous Peoples' Day. This day recognizes the long history of Indigenous stewardship and contributions prior to Christopher Columbus' arrival to the Americas to present day.
November 8 through November 14, 2026
Rock Your Mocs Week 2026. November 15, 2026 is the official Rock Your Mocs Day. Choose one day or the whole week plus one day or the whole month of November to wear your mkesinen (moccasins). This is an opportunity to be united and celebrate Indigenous individuality by wearing moccasins. We honor our ancestors and Indigenous Peoples worldwide during Rock Your Mocs events and commemorate National Native American Heritage Month. To participate, wear your mkesinen, take a photo or video, add the hashtag #RockYourMocs and upload to social media. You’ll be helping to create an online photo album for the world to see and enjoy, and that will underscore that #WeAreStillHere.
Saturday, November 14, 2026
Annual District 2 Fall Feast. 10 30 am to 2 30 pm. We will gather in the Social Hall, Little Falls Presbyterian Church, 6025 Little Falls Road, Arlington, VA 22207 (littlefallschurch.org/). Bring favorite dishes (with recipes, if you'd like) to share. I will provide the turkey and a vegan main dish, along with beverages. We will visit, work on a cultural craft together, and share a family meal. Children are welcome! The craft will be appropriate for children 10 and up with one-to-one adult supervision. RSVPs are requested -- email or call me, please. And wear your mocs in celebration of Rock Your Mocs 2026 -- see above!
Friday, November 27, 2026
Native American Heritage Day. U.S. Public Law 111-33 designates the Friday immediately following Thanksgiving Day of each year as Native American Heritage Day.
Saturday and Sunday, December 5 and 6, 2026
Native Art Market, National Museum of the American Indian. 10 am to 5 30 pm in Washington, D.C. Come meet Indigenous artists from across Turtle Island and Central and South America. The market will be held in Washington, D.C. and New York, N.Y. I plan to attend in Washington. Please reach out if you plan to go too!