19th Annual Prescott Yavapai Inter-Tribal Social Powwow
Open to the Public
Free Parking
Admission:
$8 per person
$3 per person 12-18
Children under 12 Free
Date:
September 18th-20th, 2026
Grand Entry Starts at:
Fri. 12 pm
Sat. 12 pm & 7 pm
Sun. 12pm
Place:
Watson Lake Park
3101 Watson Lake Rd., Prescott, AZ 86301
Times and prices are tentative pending confirmation
Fancy Shawl Dancer.
My wife and I were visiting Prescott, AZ, several years back…
Families arrive before the Grand Entry.
…and we had read about the Yavapai Inter-Tribal Social Powwow…
A little princess wears her Jingle Dress.
…taking place that weekend…
Excitement radiates before the start.
…nearby at Watson Lake Park…
Participants gather.
…which, by the way, is also a beautiful landscape in itself…
Entrants primp.
…with a gorgeous lake surrounded by unforgettable rock formations…
Native American Male’s dressage.
…that is a local favorite…
Bonds rekindled.
…for the public…
Friends reunite.
…and so we decided to see BOTH the rock formations and the Powwow that day.
Veterans’ Color Guard leads Grand Entry for the official start of the Powwow.
Having never experienced a Powwow before…
American Flagbearer & U.S. Army Veteran in bearskin hat with eagle feathers.
…but having briefly read about them online…
Yavapai Social Inter-Tribal Powwow Grand Entry processional at Watson Lake Park.
…and being duly nieve…
The public is encouraged to join the processional as in a walk of friends.
…we thought it would be great fun to do both.
Families join.
That particular Sunday…
Some practice routines.
…was sunny and hot…
The rich milieu mirrored in the face of a child.
…and we were not r-e-a-l-l-y prepared…
Grand Entry walk of friends continues.
…for what we encountered…
A child plays in the shadow of a Fancy Shawl dancer.
…because Powwows…
After the Grand Entry ends, participants rest before competition begins.
…can and do…
Grandmother sooths her granddaughter.
…run for hours…
Men’s Traditional and Men’s Chicken Traditional competitions begin.
…whole afternoons, in fact,…
Entrants in Men’s Chicken Traditional honor the land’s bounty.
…and so…
Men’s Chicken Traditional.
…lacking in this key bit of knowledge,…
Men’s Traditional.
…blithely set out for the day’s park-like experience!
Men’s Chicken Traditional pay homage to nature’s provision.
Watson Lake Park was beautiful…
Men’s Chicken Traditional ends.
…but the Prescott Yavapai Inter-tribal Social Powwow was captivating…
Women’s Traditional begins.
…and, as you can see from the images,…
Three Native American women practice the sacred steps of their ancestors.
…was well worth the afternoon’s investment…
Women’s Traditional participants honor the legacy of their people.
…as the powwow was, in the least, a sincere, honest, and well choreographed entertainment…
Women’s Traditional concludes.
…if you can call a church service entertainment…
Children’s Jingle Dress competition begins…
…as a powwow is so much more than just entertainment…
…as they follow each other for support.
…with broader elements of sacred religious ceremony and the right of religious freedom….
Someone seems to know what they are doing.
…with serious aspects that include honoring the dead…
“I’ll stick with her.”
…honoring the brave and fallen…
Performance anxiety perhaps?
…and honoring the very present Native American veterans…
Boy’s Grass competition kicks off...
…and powwows have intriguing rituals and ceremonies…
…like a thousand whirring dirt devils…
…that I failed to understand as a first-time guest…
… while stealing the show…
…and it was well worth my discomfort at my introduction to another people’s way of life…
…and delighting the audience…
…of which I thoroughly enjoyed…
Fancy Shawl & Jingle Dress dancers take their place…
…and have been to many more powwows over the years…
…and dance the lightness of flight…
…as much for the entertainment as for cultural diversity…
…with eye-popping ensembles…
The word “powwow” means the “gathering of the tribes” – a great tool for peaceful coexistence…
…and youthful beauty...
…as the Grand Entry includes walking with the public or – a walk among friends…
…with mesmerizing routines…
…and, as we are a nation of diverse people, I highly recommend going.
…and plenty of drama…
…to keep the audience riveted.
Men’s Traditional begins…
…raising the stakes…
…to new levels…
…of great entertainment.
Thanks for visiting. 😊
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For further information on Prescott Yavapai Social Inter-Tribal Powwow, click HERE