The Gathering of Veterans Pow Wow will be held on September 16-18, 2016, at Seven Circles Heritage Center in Edwards, IL. The public is invited. All veterans (past and present) will be honored. The weekend will be filled with healing, honoring, and celebrating all warrior heroes. This is a special time honoring our veterans who we are still waiting for their return home. There will be Native American singers, dancers, vendors, food, children’s activities and much more. New this year is a Flea Market. Admission is $5 or $10 a carload. Veterans are free.
On Friday the reading of the POW MIA name’s ceremony will begin at 6 PM. On Friday and Saturday a ROTC table ceremony will be presented along with a flyover by the Air National Guard.
On Saturday the gates will open at 10:00 AM. Gourd dancing will begin at noon to honor our veterans. Grand Entry is at 1 PM and will be followed by intertribal and exhibition dancing. On Sunday the gates will open at 10:30 AM with Gourd dancing at noon and Grand Entry at 1 PM.
Host drum is Spirit of the Rainbow Singers. Invited Drums are Whiskey Creek and Black Fox Singers. John and Penny Richmond will be the Head Man and Lady Dancers. Leonard Malatare will be the Emcee, and Marty Stomping Elk will be the Fire Keeper. There will be a special appearance by the Shell Shakers and All Women’s Medicine Drum.
Seven Circles Heritage Center is located in Edwards, IL on Rt. 8 just north of Wildlife Prairie Park. From Peoria, take I-74 west to the Kickapoo/Edwards exit. Turn left and continue to a stop sign, which is State Rt. 8. Seven Circles will be on the left. For more information call 309-637-1046 or check the following website: http://7circles.org. Events at Seven Circles are sponsored in part by the Illinois Art Council.