2019 Standing Bear Powwow in Ponca City
The 25th Annual Standing Bear Powwow in Ponca City will be held September 27-28, 2019 next to Standing Bear Park. The powwow is hosted by the six north-central tribes of Oklahoma the last Friday and Saturday of September each year. Standing Bear Powwow features inter-tribal dancing, exhibition dancing, contest dancing, tiny tot contests and the crowning of the Standing Bear Princess. Visitors will also find a variety of arts and craft vendors, along with a wide variety of food vendors.
Standing Bear Powwow in Ponca City
This free event in Ponca City is open to the public and often considered one of the most significant American Indian events in the US. Experience the Standing Bear Powwow and witness as the Kaw, Osage, Otoe-Missouria, Pawnee, Ponca and Tonkawa tribes gather to celebrate their tribal heritage with contest dancing, singing, drumming and more.
The Standing Bear Powwow begins Friday evening with gourd dancing, a wide variety of traditional tribal dances, princess selection, tiny tots contest and golden age contests. Don’t miss the Grand Entry as all of the native dancers parade into the dance arena in full regalia. Visitors to the Standing Bear Powwow will also enjoy food vendors and arts and crafts booths that offer a variety of Native American arts and crafts. A Saturday evening meal is served to everyone for free, including the public. This meal generally consists of corn soup and fry bread, and is in keeping with the Native American tradition of feeding guests.
Attendance averages between 3,000 – 5,000 people each year, a significant number of them non-native, fulfilling the vision of the Standing Bear Foundation which is to bridge the gap between native and non-native peoples.
The dance arena sits adjacent to the 63-acre Standing Bear Park & Museum, located just south of Ponca City. Parking and camping spaces are free.
Free Admission – Free Parking
Free Saturday Evening Meal
Standing Bear Pow Wow Schedule
Friday
5:00 p.m. Gourd Dancing
6:30 p.m. Princess Contest
7:00 p.m. Grand Entry, followed by:
Princess Selection, Intertribal Dancing, Tiny Tot’ Contest, Jr/Teen Division Contests, Golden Age Contest, Special Contests
Saturday
1:00 p.m. Gourd Dancing – All specials will be held during the afternoon session only.
5:30 p.m. Meal
7:00 p.m. Grand Entry, followed by:
Intertribal Dancing, Adult Contests
Standing Bear Powwow Ponca City Mini Gallery
Location
Standing Bear Park
601 Standing Bear Pkwy
Ponca City, OK 74601
580-762-1514
For More Information:
Standing Bear Park: Call 580-762-1514
Standing Bear Foundation: Call 580-762-1514; Email info@standingbearpark.com
Pow Wow Head Staff
Master of Ceremonies: To Be Announced
Head Singer: To Be Announced
Head Man Dancer: To Be Announced
Head Lady Dancer: To Be Announced
Arena Directors: To Be Announced
Water Carrier: To Be Announced
Head Gourd Dance Group: To Be Announced
Prior Year Princes: To Be Announced
Registration
Dance Registration: 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 pm. Friday ONLY.
Princess Registration: 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 pm. Friday ONLY.
To qualify, all contestants must be in both Friday & Saturday Grand Entries.
Dance Contest Categories
Cash Prizes in all Dance Categories
Men: Straight, Fancy, Traditional, Grass
Jr/Teen Boys: Straight, Fancy, Traditional, Grass
Golden Age Men: Combined
Women: Buckskin, Cloth, Jingle, Fancy Shawl
Jr/Teen Girls: Buckskin, Cloth, Jingle/Fancy Shawl
Golden Age Women: Combined
Tiny Tots
Special Contests – Friday
Men’s & Women’s Team Dance
Ages 13 & up – Teams of 4
$1000 each – Winner take all
History of the Standing Bear Powwow
The first Standing Bear Pow Wow was in October 1994 and that was before there was anything at the park – no museum, no statue; the pow wow was originally across the highway from its present location where there were still fields, and trees, and hay bales. They just cleared out an area to have the dance.[su_accordion][su_spoiler title=”Read More”]
The first Pow Wow was held in a little grove of trees which is now the memorial sitting area. It began just as a recognition of what an important social event the Pow Wow could be and it was one of the first attempts to really bring the two cultures together. The Pow Wow continued in 1995 and then in 1996 when the statue was unveiled the Pow Wow grew considerably. That year it rained and although it turned out to be a beautiful day for the unveiling of the statue, the Pow Wow had to be held inside Hutchins memorial, the only time that the Pow Wow had to be moved indoors.
The Ponca Nation has its own Pow Wow. The Pawnee Nation has its own Pow Wow. Each one of the six North-Central Tribes has its own Pow Wow. But the way the Standing Bear Pow Wow was set up, they wanted to give each tribe in this area the opportunity to showcase its own tribal history and traditions. They chose Pow Wows because that was more of a general social event where we could involve a lot of the public. Until 2005 they rotated the event between the six tribes. Since 2006 the six tribes work together organize and host each Pow Wow at Standing Bear Park. There is a permanent Standing Bear Foundation Committee with members from each tribe serving on the committee. This is a special time during the year that the six tribes come together to work together on a major project. Learn more about the Standing Bear Pow Wow[/su_spoiler][/su_accordion]
The Ponca City Setting
The six tribes that participate in the Standing Bear Powwow are headquartered in the Ponca City area, making it practical for them to collaborate for the event. In addition to the tribal support for the powwow, from volunteers to corporate partners, there is a tremendous amount of support from the non-native community as well.
Standing Bear Park
The Standing Bear Park, Museum & Education Center in Ponca City honors all Native Americans with a 22-foot bronze statue of Ponca Chief Standing Bear. This outstanding sculpture sits on a 63-acre park that boasts a walking trail among native grasses and wildflowers, a peaceful memorial grove, a pond and outdoor interpretive center. These elements all come together to tell the history of American Indians In Oklahoma.
The Standing Bear Pow Wow is not responsible for accidents. No drugs, alcohol or firearms are allowed on the premises.
Mark your calendar today so you don’t miss the next Standing Bear Powwow on the last Friday and Saturday of September next to Standing Bear Park in Ponca City, Oklahoma.
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