About Us

The Saratoga Native American Festival is a collaborative effort of the Ndakinna Education Center, totally free and open to the general public. This year we are proud to announce the festival will be held at the historic Congress Park in downtown Saratoga Springs, NY, and will include activities in the Saratoga Arts Center and the Canfield Casino. The Festival is part of a regional effort to educate people about the history, cultural traditions, and continued active presence of the Native peoples of the northeast. Authentic northeastern Native American Indian drumming and dancing, storytelling, music, crafts, and traditional native foods are just some of the things it has to offer.

Saratoga Arts made this program possible with a Community Arts Grant funded by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

VENDORS AND DEMONSTRATORS:
Our 2019 festival includes Native vendors carefully selected by Jeanne Brink (Abenaki). These gifted artists and artisans, who are nearly all from the American Indian nations of the northeast, will be displaying and selling their own work. In past years entries have ranged from traditional arts and crafts to more modern forms, including  beadwork, quillwork, wampum, tufting, silver work, carving in wood, stone, antler and bone, leatherwork, oil painting, and clothing. Crafting demonstrations such as basket weaving, jewelry making, and carving will take place at various booths throughout the day.

NATIVE AMERICAN FOODS:
Native American vendors will be offering a wide variety of foods, ranging from traditional blue corn bread, moose meat and strawberry drink, to Navajo tacos and buffalo burgers. Food vendors will be located outside the museum beneath the food tent.

CHILDREN’S AREA:
Our Children’s Area, previously sponsored by Stewart’s Shops, has been a favorite with past festivals with it’s Native activities for children (who must be accompanied by a responsible adult). Includes a wide range of traditional crafts.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
Druthers Brewing
Saratoga Arts
Spot Coffee Saratoga
Northshire Bookstore
Parkway Music
Kettlewell and Edwards
Impressions of Saratoga
Four Seasons
Healthy Living
Sushi Thai
Desperate Annie’s
The Bread Basket
Super Source Media
Parasol Tattoo

* The Ndakinna Education Center, an affiliate of the Greenfield Review Literary Center, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and charitable organization, based at the Marion F. Bowman Bruchac Memorial Nature Preserve in Greenfield Center, New York. The Center offers programs, performances, camps, field trips and special events focusing on regional Native American understandings, Adirondack culture, martial arts, wilderness skills and awareness of the natural world.