October 2, 2026
Media Contact:
Indigenous Peoples’ Day Philly, Inc. (IPD PHILLY)
1500 Chestnut Street, Suite 2 – PMB 1106
Philadelphia PA 19102
https://ipdphilly.org | press@ipdphilly.org | FB & Instagram: @ipdphilly
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Indigenous Peoples’ Day Philly 2026
Celebrates 10 Years of Community, Culture, and Indigenous Resilience
This is an in-person and livestream event. Don’t miss it!
Indigenous Peoples’ Day Philly 2026 celebrates the living cultures, histories, and contributions of Indigenous communities in Philadelphia and beyond. The event brings together traditional and contemporary Indigenous art, music, dance, food, storytelling, and cultural knowledge, while creating space to learn about Indigenous histories, communities, and contemporary issues. It is an opportunity to celebrate the strength, resilience, and ongoing presence of the First Peoples of the Americas.
PHILADELPHIA — Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Philadelphia is growing, and hundreds of community members are expected to gather at Shackamaxon (Penn Treaty) Park on Monday, October 12, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM EDT for the 10th Annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebration.
Organized by Indigenous Peoples’ Day Philly, Inc. (IPD Philly), this year marks our 10th annual celebration, bringing Indigenous communities, artists, educators, knowledge keepers, and allies together. With the theme “Honoring Indigenous Knowledge Keepers,” we celebrate those who have carried our traditions, histories, and movements forward across generations. The family-friendly celebration will feature music, dance, storytelling, cultural demonstrations, speakers, Indigenous vendors, and educational activities.
This year’s celebration also follows the October 1 introduction by Councilmember Kendra Brooks of a City Council resolution acknowledging Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Monday, October 12, 2026. The resolution recognizes the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas, the Lenape Peoples (Delaware Tribes) as the original Indigenous peoples of the Philadelphia region, and the importance of historical truth, cultural respect, education, and partnership with Indigenous communities. The resolution would recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day but would not establish a permanent City holiday or change City law. Therefore, the October 8 hearing and vote offer an opportunity for community members to testify publicly and call for permanent recognition in the future. [LEARN MORE]
FEATURED SPEAKERS
The 2026 celebration brings together Indigenous leaders, Elders, educators, culture bearers, and community advocates whose voices reflect the living presence, histories, and contributions of Indigenous peoples in Philadelphia and beyond.
We are honored to welcome back Tonya Anna, Assistant Chief of the Delaware Tribe of Indians (Oklahoma), who will open the celebration with words of welcome and connection. Returning to the stage is Elder Curtis Zunigha, a member of the Delaware Tribe of Indians and co-founder of the Lenape Center in New York City. He will share Lenape cultural knowledge and traditions rooted in Lenapehoking, the ancestral homeland of the Lenape people.
Also joining us is Elder Eugene Black Crow, a Lakota of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, Director of the Lakhota Woglakapo Project, and a member of IPD Philly’s Board. We are also excited to welcome back Kelly Dova, a Dakota from Lake Traverse Reservation and leader of the Coalition of Natives and Allies, bringing her voice and experience in building connections between Indigenous communities and allies.
We are also honored to welcome Representative Chris Rabb and Council Member Nicholas O’Rourke.
FEATURED PERFORMERS
Get ready for a dynamic lineup of Indigenous artists, musicians, dancers, poets, storytellers, and cultural knowledge keepers representing communities and traditions from across the Americas. From traditional dance and ancestral sounds to hip-hop, poetry, and contemporary Indigenous expression, this year’s stage celebrates Indigenous creativity—past, present, and future.
We are honored to welcome Bear Tompkins, a member of Lenape, Lakota, and Arikara communities, brings decades of music, poetry, storytelling, and flute-making, sharing powerful reflections on Indigenous identity and contemporary life.
Returning to the Indigenous Peoples’ Day stage, Miss Chief Rocka, a Nehiyaw (Cree) dancer from Frog Lake First Nation, will captivate audiences through Fancy Shawl, Hoop, and Round Dance, carrying Indigenous knowledge and tradition through movement.
Returning to the stage are Indigenous hip-hop artists Marcus “Quese” Frejo, a Pawnee and Seminole artist and producer, and “Ra” Jikotea Niaku’no Ruiz León, a Taíno-Borikua artist from Borikén (Puerto Rico). Their music brings Indigenous perspectives on land, identity, justice, and rights into the contemporary moment.
Tchin, a multi-award-winning storyteller, metalsmith, author, and flutemaker, will bring stories, artistry, and imagination to audiences of all ages.
Edgar Alcantara, “Cuauhcoyotl,” a champion of Native Mexican culture, will take the stage as a master Aztec dancer and Mayan trumpet player, celebrating the vibrant legacy and living traditions of Indigenous Mexico.
Sergio “Chucho” Cuadros, renowned composer and quena player from Peru, is expected to join the celebration, bringing the distinctive sounds of the Andes to Philadelphia.
Returning from New York City is Inkarayku, an Andean music ensemble, joined by Wayno dancers performing traditional Quechua songs and dances.
Philadelphia-based Huey Xolotl, an Aztec dance troupe, will showcase Indigenous Mexican traditions alongside Kamaxtle Xiuncoatl, Canpatlaneci, and other Indigenous dance groups, creating a vibrant celebration of movement, music, and heritage. Joining Huey Xolotl, we welcome for the first time Illhuikayotl (Monique Veronica Santy) a Lakota and Mexican flute player, singer and teacher with a focus on Indigenous Philosophy, storytelling and Trauma Informed.
FEATURED INDIGENOUS VENDORS
Discover, shop, and connect with Indigenous artists and makers whose handmade work celebrates cultural traditions, creativity, and living Indigenous economies.
Returning vendor Tenangos Philly will showcase vibrant Otomi-Tepehua embroidery, highlighting the artistry and traditions of Indigenous communities in Mexico. Native American Greeting Cards own by Shaldon Noel a Dakota designer, and Petrichor Art, a queer, trans, non-binary, mixed-Indigenous duo, will feature handmade jewelry and original artwork.
Kungi Sapa Moccasins & Crafts will showcase traditional Lakota leatherwork, while Native Crafts will offer jewelry, clothing, and artwork from the Kichwa Nation. Claudette Bryant, a member of the Shinnecock Indian Nation, will present handcrafted regalia and accessories made with leather and other natural materials.
More Indigenous vendors will be announced as their participation is confirmed.
DON’T MISS IT
This family-friendly event is open to the public, and we encourage everyone to join us for a day of celebration and education. Bring your blankets and chairs to enjoy the festivities at Shackamaxon (Penn Treaty) Park) on Monday, October 12, 2026, from 11 AM to 5 PM EDT.
For details and spread the word, visit our Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/share/1C4Pa9PBiJ/
If you cannot attend, you can watch the entire event online. In partnership with PhillyCAM, our event will be livestream on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/IPDphilly/ and on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ipdphilly
Lastly, if you cannot attend, support us by sending a tax-exempt contribution here https://ipdphilly.org/donate/
From the IPD PHILLY Team!
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About Indigenous Peoples’ Day Philly, Inc
Indigenous Peoples’ Day Philly, Inc (IPD Philly) is an Indigenous-led 501c3 non-profit organization based in Philadelphia, PA, and was established in 2017 in the Lenape Unami territory of Lenapehoking (Southern PA and NJ). IPD Philly’s mission is to cultivate an active Native American/Indigenous presence in the city of Philadelphia through cultural, educational, and community-building initiatives. In order to uplift Native traditions, creative economies, and histories, IPD Philly’s vision is to counter historical Indigenous erasure—the deliberate and systematic destruction of Native cultures and violent displacement of Native peoples to this day. Over time, IPD Philly seeks to build stronger communication channels between the City of Philadelphia and Native constituencies.
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EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
EVENT NAME: Indigenous Peoples’ Day Philly 2026
LOCATION: Shackamaxon (Penn Treaty) Park – 1301 N Beach St, Philadelphia, PA 19125
TIME: 11 AM – 5 PM EDT.
PAY-AS-YOU-WISH: Suggested donation $12 for adults , $5 for elders and youth 12+
RSVP FB EVENT PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/share/1C4Pa9PBiJ/
TO DONATE: https://ipdphilly.org/donate
MEDIA KIT ONLINE: https://ipdphilly.org/mediakit2026/
PRESS RELEASE: https://ipdphilly.org/press-release-ipdphilly2026/
EVENT PROGRAM: coming soon!
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EVENT LOCATION & THE LENAPE:
Shackamaxon, historically known as Penn Treaty Park, is a significant site along the banks of the Delaware River in Philadelphia, situated within Lenapehoking—the ancestral territory of the Lenape (Delaware) people, the original inhabitants of Delaware, New Jersey, and Eastern Pennsylvania. The name Shackamaxon comes from the Lenape phrase “sakimauchheen ing,” which means “place to make a chief.” This location served as a gathering point for the community to recognize family and clan leaders.
This remarkable park is home to an eighth-generation tree, a direct descendant of the famous Treaty Elm, where the Lenape people held important council meetings. It was on this very ground that the legendary leader Tamanend (also known as Tammany) signed the historic Treaty of Shackamaxon with the Englishman William Penn in 1682.
The significance of this site, steeped in history and cultural heritage, establishes a vital connection to the tragic legacy of the collaboration between the Lenape (Delaware) Tribes and early English settlers. The descendants of these settlers would ultimately force the Lenape from their homelands to Indian Territory in Oklahoma and Wisconsin in the United States, as well as Ontario, Canada.
This painful journey spanned many years and led to the scattering of countless Lenape people and families across the country. Today, there are five federally recognized Lenape (Delaware) Tribes in the United States and Canada that assert their presence and heritage: the Delaware Nation in Anadarko, Oklahoma; the Delaware Tribe of Indians in Bartlesville, Oklahoma; the Stockbridge-Munsee Community in Bowler, Wisconsin; the Munsee-Delaware Nation; and the Delaware Nation at Moraviantown in Ontario, Canada. Furthermore, there are also Lenape members of the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario, alongside the people of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, who continue to uphold their rich cultural identity.
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