Clearfield Veterans Powwow marks 25th annual celebration
The Clearfield Veterans Powwow will be held Nov. 7-8 at the Expo II building at the Clearfield County Fairgrounds. — Courtesy photo
By Andy Stine
astine@altoonamirror.com
The Clearfield Veterans Powwow, now it its 25th year, will be held Nov. 7-8 at the Expo II building at the Clearfield County Fairgrounds.
The two-day event is free and open to the public as a way to honor veterans around the Veterans Day holiday, which is observed annually on Nov. 11.
Linda Ross, a committee member, said the group started as a native drum singers group called The Mighty Creek. The group would visit the Clearfield Middle School and perform tribal dances for the eighth grade Pennsylvania history class.
“Our goal is to promote and educate the local community in the Native American culture, and mainly to honor our veterans,” Ross said.
The powwow is held every year on either the first or second week of November. Because they have visitors from all over the country, and even Canada, they usually choose a weekend where Penn State football is on the road so more hotel rooms are available.
The powwow, which is a Native American dance celebration, will start on Saturday morning with a scout and youth program at 10 a.m. A junior dance for those 16 years and younger will be held at 11:30 a.m.
There will be two grand entrances — at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.
The event wraps up Sunday with a crafts contest at 10 a.m. and another grand entry at 12:30 p.m. There will be vendors and exhibits on hand from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
“We encourage people to dance and enjoy the culture,” Ross said.
In the 1700s, Clearfield was a settlement for a tribe called Chinklacamoose. It makes plenty of sense to still hold a Native American celebration in the town today.
“There are a lot of Native Americans in the area,” Ross said. “It’s just not embraced as much as it should be.”
Ross said that the group’s dedication can be seen in the way that the Veterans Powwow has continued for 25 years.
“Some of us have been around since the get-go,” Ross said. “We believe and live what we’re trying to put out there. Many of our members are full-blooded Native Americans and many are veterans.
“We came together because of an appreciation, and a love of the way of life. We want to incorporate that into the community.”
Ross noted that there is no drinking or smoking at the powwow, and only service dogs are allowed at the event.
The Expo II building is at 5615 Park Street in Clearfield.
More information about the group can be found on Facebook at Veterans Day Powwow in Clearfield, PA.