Whoop-Up Days is set to feature several Indigenous events. (Photo: Lethbridge & District Exhibition)

By David Opinko

Whoop-Up Days to highlight Blackfoot culture

Aug 13, 2024 | 2:13 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Lethbridge’s largest annual summer festival will once again put Indigenous culture and displays on the forefront.

Lethbridge & District Exhibition Director of Community Engagement Paul Kingsmith says it is partnering with the Blackfoot Confederacy to put on a series of events at next week’s Whoop-Up Days.

“Our partnership with the Blackfoot Confederacy is something we celebrate not only during Whoop-Up Days, but throughout the entire year,” says Kingsmith. “We have worked closely with Confederacy members and Elders to create meaningful and authentic experiences that help showcase Blackfoot culture to our region. We’re proud of the way these initiatives are incorporated as a key part of our fair and we invite the entire community to take part.”

Indigenous events at the festival include:

Siksikaitsitapi Princess Pageant

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For the third straight year, the Siksikaitsitapi Princess Pageant kicks off Whoop-Up Days at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 20 in the UFA Hall of the Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre. Competing in one of three categories: Tiny Tots, Junior, or Senior, competitors are scored on an essay submission, speech, dance and talent showcase. The crowned Miss Siksikaitsitapi winners will represent Lethbridge & District Exhibition and the Siksikaitsitapi – Blackfoot Confederacy as an ambassador throughout the year by sharing the rich traditions, culture, and heritage of Indigenous peoples.

Siksikaitsitapi Powwow

The Siksikaitsitapi Powwow begins at 1 p.m. on both Wednesday, Aug. 21 and Thursday, Aug. 22 in the UFA Hall and Hall C of the Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre. With cash payouts totaling more than $65,000, the Powwow attracts top competitors from across Western Canada and the United States. The event honours the unique and rich cultural history of the land and First Nations People, and the community is invited to witness the beauty and knowledge that is rooted in the drumming and dancing of competitive Powwow. During the event, the Powwow Marketplace presented by PCL Construction will feature dozens of vendors selling arts, crafts, food and other authentic items.

Traditional Games demonstration

New to Whoop-Up Days, a Traditional Games demonstration will take place at 3 p.m. on both Friday, Aug. 23 and Saturday, Aug. 24 in Hall C of the Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre. Traditional games span back centuries and were developed as part of Blackfoot culture. In this demonstration, spectators will see how these games came to be, how they applied to Blackfoot life, and how a new generation is keeping them alive.

Relay Races

The thrilling Relay Races are a crowd favourite that sees skilled riders showcase their skills in bareback riding as they race around the arena, then jump off their horse and up onto another for the next lap. The Relay Races are one of the most high-intensity elements of the Lethbridge & District Pro Rodeo from Aug. 22 to 24. The Lethbridge & District Pro Rodeo is the only professional rodeo in Canada to include Relay Races as part of their main events. Rodeo tickets are available at whoopupdays.ca. As well, Thursday, Aug. 23 is Blackfoot Confederacy Celebration Night at the rodeo, presented by Allied Projects, where programming elements will celebrate Blackfoot culture.

Original 16 Stage

For a second straight year, the Original 16 Stage presented by Great Western Brewing will showcase some of the top Indigenous performers from around the province. From 3:30 – 6 p.m. each day, Piikani artist Willy Big Bull has curated an all-star lineup of performers that crosses genres and styles, including Sargent X Comrade, Double Rider, Richard Inman, Alchemy the Linguist and Siren City, Desert Orchid and more. A partnership with the Blackfoot Confederacy and PCL Construction Services has helped to create the showcase, which puts these performers on the big stage at Whoop-Up Days.

Whoop-Up Days Parade

All of the action begins with the Whoop-Up Days Parade presented by Park Place Shopping Centre at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 20, where the Blackfoot Confederacy will have a colourful presence celebrating the culture of the Piikani, Kainai, Siksika and Amskapi Piikani people.

Whoop-Up Days runs August 20-24, 2024 at the Lethbridge & District Exhibition. Learn more and buy tickets at agrifoodhub.ca

You can enter here to win tickets to Whoop-Up Days from Lethbridge News Now.

READ MORE: Over 20 artists gearing up for Whoop-Up Days performances

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