Neighboring Nations
INDIGENOUS ARTS AND CULTURE FESTIVAL
October 9th - 12th, 2026
Red Lodge, Montana
SPEND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE’S DAY SURROUNDED BY
NATIVE ART
NATIVE STORIES
NATIVE IDENTITIES
Lanny Real Bird
Zak James
Plan your weekend below!
Schedule
Ivan Mcdonald
Ashley Woodward
Choke Cherry Creek
Kelley Pingree
Dylan RC
Remaining Native
Jason Baldes
Bring them Home
Brocade
Bring them Home
Vincent Bird
Bethany Yellowtail
Thursday
October 8
Raising & “Lighting of the Teepees”
Join us as the Neighboring Nations Indigenous Arts and Culture Festival begins with the raising and Lighting of the Teepees with the Pretty Shield Foundation.
The Pretty Shield Foundation uses lighted lodges as symbols of hope, healing, and the relationships that carry us forward. Together, we’ll raise the lodges and gather as they are illuminated to welcome the weekend ahead.
Community Feed | Buffalo Stew & Frybread
Gather with us for a community feed following the raising and Lighting of the Teepees.
We’ll be serving buffalo stew and frybread and sharing a meal together as we begin the Neighboring Nations Indigenous Arts and Culture Festival. Come eat, visit, and spend time in community before the weekend gets underway.
Fireside Chat | Dr. Kelly Sherman-Conroy
Dr. Kelly Sherman-Conroy (Oglala Lakota), the first Native female theologian in the ELCA Christian tradition, is joining us for a pre-festival fireside chat centered on storytelling, relationship, and responsibility.
Join Dr. Sherman-Conroy for an evening exploring the stories we inherit, the stories we tell about one another, and how listening differently can change the way we understand our responsibilities to one another and to the places we call home.
Friday
October 9
Fashion Show, Dancers & Opening Welcome
Kick off the Neighboring Nations Indigenous Arts and Culture Festival with an unforgettable Indigenous fashion experience featuring the work of Brocade and Chokecherry Creek.
This opening-night event will bring fashion, culture, music, and storytelling together on one stage. Guests will enjoy a seated fashion show experience accompanied by live drummers and performances, creating an evening that celebrates Indigenous design, creativity, and expression.
Featured Designers
Brocade Stops Black Eagle | Brocade (Crow-Mandan-Hidatsa)
Angela Howe | Chokecherry Creek (Apsáalooke/Pikuni)
Friday Concessions Menu
Pulled Buffalo Meat Sliders with Dr Pepper BBQ sauce & oven chips.
Snacks available daily: Blue Popcorn Snack Bag, Wild Rice Sweet & Savory Snack Cup, Frybread Bites with Cinnamon Sugar & Honey Butter, and Peppermint Iced Tea.
Saturday
October 10
Film | Ancestors
Ancestors follows Michigan tribal repatriation specialists working to return and rebury Indigenous human remains held in museums.
History, spirituality, and the law collide as the film explores the worldviews that justified collecting Indigenous ancestors in the first place. Featuring interviews with repatriation specialists, historians, and museum workers, the documentary traces the history of Indigenous burial ground desecration and pays tribute to the people working to bring their Ancestors home.
Saturday Concessions Menu
Indian Pockets Handhelds with chips & salsa.
Snacks available daily: Blue Popcorn Snack Bag, Wild Rice Sweet & Savory Snack Cup, Frybread Bites with Cinnamon Sugar & Honey Butter, and Peppermint Iced Tea.
Vendor Market
Join us for the Neighboring Nations Indigenous Arts and Culture Festival Vendor Market, featuring 30+ Indigenous vendors, artists, makers, and creatives.
Spend the afternoon shopping, discovering new creations, connecting with Indigenous entrepreneurs, enjoying live music, and hearing directly from Indigenous artists and storytellers.
Live Music | Dylan Running Crane
Dylan Running Crane is a folk singer and songwriter from the Blackfeet Nation. Her songs weave interpersonal stories and ideals of liberation through lullaby melodies.
Dylan has been performing throughout Montana for the past four years, sharing music rooted in storytelling, reflection, and connection.
Film | Remaining Native and Panel with Delmar Stevens
Remaining Native is a documentary told from the perspective of Ku Stevens, a 17-year-old Indigenous runner navigating his dream of becoming a collegiate athlete as the memory of his great-grandfather’s escape from an Indian boarding school begins to connect past, present, and future.
Following the film, guests are invited to stay for a 45-minute panel discussion offering an opportunity to hear more about the film, its themes, and the stories and perspectives connected to the work.
Saturday Concessions Menu
Indian Pockets Handhelds with chips & salsa.
Snacks available daily: Blue Popcorn Snack Bag, Wild Rice Sweet & Savory Snack Cup, Frybread Bites with Cinnamon Sugar & Honey Butter, and Peppermint Iced Tea.
Presentation | Lanny Real Bird
Hear directly from Indigenous language advocate Lanny Real Bird as part of the featured programming at the Vendor Market.
Live Music | Vincent Bird
Vincent Bird is a rising artist out of the Flathead Reservation in Montana, where the land runs deep with stories, and so does his music.
An enrolled member of his tribe and a proud representative of “the last best place,” Vin weaves the raw spirit of the Rez into every track he drops.
Film | Shorts and Panel with Native Fashion Designers
Join us for a special screening of award-winning short films during the Neighboring Nations Indigenous Arts and Culture Festival.
This curated film program centers women and shares powerful stories rooted in our region, offering a meaningful look at Indigenous experiences, creativity, identity, and community.
Following the screening, guests are invited to stay for a panel discussion featuring Indigenous fashion designers. The conversation offers an opportunity to hear directly from the designers about their work, creative journeys, and perspectives on Indigenous fashion and design.
Featured Designers
Brocade Stops Black Eagle | Brocade (Crow-Mandan-Hidatsa)
Angela Howe | Chokecherry Creek Designs (Apsáalooke/Pikuni)
Bethany Yellowtail | B.YELLOWTAIL (Northern Cheyenne/Apsáalooke)
Saturday Concessions Menu
Indian Pockets Handhelds with chips & salsa.
Snacks available daily: Blue Popcorn Snack Bag, Wild Rice Sweet & Savory Snack Cup, Frybread Bites with Cinnamon Sugar & Honey Butter, and Peppermint Iced Tea.
Northern Cheyenne Gourd Dancers
Join us to watch the Northern Cheyenne Gourd Dancers at the Roosevelt Center.
The Gourd Dance is a traditional warrior society dance honoring veterans and tribal history. Long practiced among the Kiowa, Ponca, Comanche, and Cheyenne, the tradition was revived by the Kiowa.
Dancers move slowly around the circle, shaking gourd rattles and wearing ribbon shirts, fringed sashes, and red-and-blue blankets over their shoulders.
Three-Course Dinner | Chef Ashley Woodward
Little Shell chef Ashley Woodward is bringing a special three-course dinner to One Legged Magpie during the Neighboring Nations Indigenous Arts and Culture Festival.
Choose from two seatings on Saturday, October 10, at 5:00 PM or 7:30 PM. Each seating is limited to 40–50 guests, with optional bar snacks available throughout the evening.
Live Music | Foreshadow & Zak James
Spend Saturday night of the Neighboring Nations Indigenous Arts and Culture Festival with live music from Montana-based Indigenous artists Foreshadow and Zak James.
Foreshadow
Foreshadow (Shadow Devereaux) is a Salish and Blackfeet hip-hop artist, producer, and audio engineer from Dixon, Montana, on the Flathead Indian Reservation. A Native American Music Award winner, he uses hip-hop and storytelling to explore identity, resilience, family, struggle, and Native life.
With more than a decade of experience, his work includes contributing music to Bring Them Home and collaborating with artists, filmmakers, and musicians throughout Indian Country.
Zak James
Zak James is a Montana hip-hop/pop artist who proudly represents his Indigenous roots. Although separated from his Chippewa Cree Rocky Boy community through adoption and generational trauma, he has remained connected to culture through aunties, uncles, and Indigenous creatives.
His music uplifts, inspires, gets people dancing, and shares stories and perspectives that need to be heard. His goal is to help Indigenous culture remain strong for generations to come.
Film | Bring Them Home and Panel with Ivan MacDonald and Foreshadow
Bring Them Home tells the story of the Blackfoot people striving to re-establish wild buffalo on tribal land after 100 years of absence.
The film recounts efforts to restore buffalo, land, traditional culture, and bring healing to the Blackfeet community. Narrated and executive produced by Oscar nominee and Blackfeet/Nez Perce actor Lily Gladstone, the film has been an audience favorite at festivals.
Following the film, guests are invited to stay for a panel discussion exploring the stories, themes, and work reflected on screen.
Saturday Concessions Menu
Indian Pockets Handhelds with chips & salsa.
Snacks available daily: Blue Popcorn Snack Bag, Wild Rice Sweet & Savory Snack Cup, Frybread Bites with Cinnamon Sugar & Honey Butter, and Peppermint Iced Tea.
Sunday
October 11
Indigenous Cooking Class
Join us for a one-of-a-kind Indigenous Cooking Class during the Neighboring Nations Indigenous Arts and Culture Festival.
This intimate, hands-on experience will be led by Chef Kelly Pingree (Shoshone-Bannock) with the Wind River Food Sovereignty Project and Chef Sheena Ernst. Together, they will share knowledge about traditional foods of the region, the ingredients featured in the class, and ways to prepare them.
Guests will have the opportunity to learn directly from the chefs while exploring the connections between food, place, culture, and community. A meal is included.
Film | Shorts and Panel with Native Fashion Designers
Join us for a special screening of award-winning short films during the Neighboring Nations Indigenous Arts and Culture Festival.
This curated film program centers women and shares powerful stories rooted in our region, offering a meaningful look at Indigenous experiences, creativity, identity, and community.
Following the screening, guests are invited to stay for a panel discussion featuring Indigenous fashion designers. The conversation offers an opportunity to hear directly from the designers about their work, creative journeys, and perspectives on Indigenous fashion and design.
Featured Designers
Brocade Stops Black Eagle | Brocade (Crow-Mandan-Hidatsa)
Angela Howe | Chokecherry Creek Designs (Apsáalooke/Pikuni)
Bethany Yellowtail | B.YELLOWTAIL (Northern Cheyenne/Apsáalooke)
Sunday Concessions Menu
Green Chile Burritos in skillet bread.
Snacks available daily: Blue Popcorn Snack Bag, Wild Rice Sweet & Savory Snack Cup, Frybread Bites with Cinnamon Sugar & Honey Butter, and Peppermint Iced Tea.
Vendor Market
Join us for the Neighboring Nations Indigenous Arts and Culture Festival Vendor Market, featuring 30+ Indigenous vendors, artists, makers, and creatives.
Spend the afternoon shopping, discovering new creations, connecting with Indigenous entrepreneurs, enjoying live music, and hearing directly from Indigenous artists and storytellers.
Live Music | Foreshadow
Foreshadow (Shadow Devereaux) is a Salish and Blackfeet hip-hop artist, producer, and audio engineer from Dixon, Montana, on the Flathead Indian Reservation. A Native American Music Award winner, he uses hip-hop and storytelling to explore identity, resilience, family, struggle, and Native life.
With more than a decade of experience, his work includes contributing music to Bring Them Home and collaborating with artists, filmmakers, and musicians throughout Indian Country.
Film | Ancestors
Ancestors follows Michigan tribal repatriation specialists working to return and rebury Indigenous human remains held in museums.
History, spirituality, and the law collide as the film explores the worldviews that justified collecting Indigenous ancestors in the first place. Featuring interviews with repatriation specialists, historians, and museum workers, the documentary traces the history of Indigenous burial ground desecration and pays tribute to the people working to bring their Ancestors home.
Following the film, guests are invited to stay for a panel discussion exploring the stories, themes, and work reflected on screen.
Sunday Concessions Menu
Green Chile Burritos in skillet bread.
Snacks available daily: Blue Popcorn Snack Bag, Wild Rice Sweet & Savory Snack Cup, Frybread Bites with Cinnamon Sugar & Honey Butter, and Peppermint Iced Tea.
Northern Cheyenne Gourd Dancers
Join us to watch the Northern Cheyenne Gourd Dancers at the Roosevelt Center.
The Gourd Dance is a traditional warrior society dance honoring veterans and tribal history. Long practiced among the Kiowa, Ponca, Comanche, and Cheyenne, the tradition was revived by the Kiowa.
Dancers move slowly around the circle, shaking gourd rattles and wearing ribbon shirts, fringed sashes, and red-and-blue blankets over their shoulders.
Indigenous Cooking Class
Join us for a one-of-a-kind Indigenous Cooking Class during the Neighboring Nations Indigenous Arts and Culture Festival.
This intimate, hands-on experience will be led by Chef Kelly Pingree (Shoshone-Bannock) with the Wind River Food Sovereignty Project and Chef Sheena Ernst. Together, they will share knowledge about traditional foods of the region, the ingredients featured in the class, and ways to prepare them.
Guests will have the opportunity to learn directly from the chefs while exploring the connections between food, place, culture, and community. A meal is included.
Live Music | Zak James
Zak James is a Montana hip-hop/pop artist who proudly represents his Indigenous roots. Although separated from his Chippewa Cree Rocky Boy community through adoption and generational trauma, he has remained connected to culture through aunties, uncles, and Indigenous creatives.
His music uplifts, inspires, gets people dancing, and shares stories and perspectives that need to be heard. His goal is to help Indigenous culture remain strong for generations to come.
Film | Bring Them Home and Panel with Ivan MacDonald and Foreshadow
Bring Them Home tells the story of the Blackfoot people striving to re-establish wild buffalo on tribal land after 100 years of absence.
The film recounts efforts to restore buffalo, land, traditional culture, and bring healing to the Blackfeet community. Narrated and executive produced by Oscar nominee and Blackfeet/Nez Perce actor Lily Gladstone, the film has been an audience favorite at festivals.
Following the film, guests are invited to stay for a panel discussion exploring the stories, themes, and work reflected on screen.
Sunday Concessions Menu
Green Chile Burritos in skillet bread.
Snacks available daily: Blue Popcorn Snack Bag, Wild Rice Sweet & Savory Snack Cup, Frybread Bites with Cinnamon Sugar & Honey Butter, and Peppermint Iced Tea.
Three-Course Dinner | Chef Ashley Woodward
Little Shell chef Ashley Woodward is bringing a special three-course dinner to One Legged Magpie during the Neighboring Nations Indigenous Arts and Culture Festival.
Choose from two seatings on Sunday, October 11, at 5:00 PM or 7:30 PM. Each seating is limited to 40–50 guests, with optional bar snacks available throughout the evening.
Live Music | Vincent Bird & Dylan Running Crane
Spend Sunday night of the Neighboring Nations Indigenous Arts and Culture Festival with live music from Indigenous artists Vincent Bird and Dylan Running Crane.
Vincent Bird
Vincent Bird is a rising artist out of the Flathead Reservation in Montana, where the land runs deep with stories, and so does his music. An enrolled member of his tribe and a proud representative of “the last best place,” Vin weaves the raw spirit of the Rez into every track he drops.
Dylan Running Crane
Dylan Running Crane is a folk singer and songwriter from the Blackfeet Nation. Her songs weave interpersonal stories and ideals of liberation through lullaby melodies.
Dylan has been performing throughout Montana for the past four years, sharing music rooted in storytelling, reflection, and connection.
Film | Remaining Native and Panel with Delmar Stevens
Remaining Native is a documentary told from the perspective of Ku Stevens, a 17-year-old Indigenous runner navigating his dream of becoming a collegiate athlete as the memory of his great-grandfather’s escape from an Indian boarding school begins to connect past, present, and future.
Following the film, guests are invited to stay for a 45-minute panel discussion offering an opportunity to hear more about the film, its themes, and the stories and perspectives connected to the work.
Sunday Concessions Menu
Green Chile Burritos in skillet bread.
Snacks available daily: Blue Popcorn Snack Bag, Wild Rice Sweet & Savory Snack Cup, Frybread Bites with Cinnamon Sugar & Honey Butter, and Peppermint Iced Tea.
Monday
October 12
Community Breakfast Potluck
Join us for a free Community Breakfast as we gather together to close out the Neighboring Nations Indigenous Arts and Culture Festival.
We hope to share a meal with community, made by community, creating space to connect, reflect, and spend time together before the festival comes to a close.
Closing Prayer, Dancers & Round Dance
The morning will finish with a closing prayer, dancers, and a round dance, bringing us together one final time in celebration, gratitude, and community.
Film | Shorts
Join us for a special screening of award-winning short films during the Neighboring Nations Indigenous Arts and Culture Festival.
This curated film program centers women and shares powerful stories rooted in our region, offering a meaningful look at Indigenous experiences, creativity, identity, and community.
Film | Ancestors
Ancestors follows Michigan tribal repatriation specialists working to return and rebury Indigenous human remains held in museums.
History, spirituality, and the law collide as the film explores the worldviews that justified collecting Indigenous ancestors in the first place. Featuring interviews with repatriation specialists, historians, and museum workers, the documentary traces the history of Indigenous burial ground desecration and pays tribute to the people working to bring their Ancestors home.
Film | Remaining Native
Remaining Native is a documentary told from the perspective of Ku Stevens, a 17-year-old Indigenous runner navigating his dream of becoming a collegiate athlete as the memory of his great-grandfather’s escape from an Indian boarding school begins to connect past, present, and future.
Film | Bring Them Home
Bring Them Home tells the story of the Blackfoot people striving to re-establish wild buffalo on tribal land after 100 years of absence.
The film recounts efforts to restore buffalo, land, traditional culture, and bring healing to the Blackfeet community. Narrated and executive produced by Oscar nominee and Blackfeet/Nez Perce actor Lily Gladstone, the film has been an audience favorite at festivals.
Directed by Ivan MacDonald (Blackfeet), Bring Them Home shares a powerful story rooted in Indigenous history, culture, community, and the ongoing work of restoration and return.

