Artesian Arts Festival Set May 28 in Sulphur

SULPHUR, Okla. – This Saturday, May 28, the Artesian Arts Festival will celebrate Native art and artists.

For the third year, the Chickasaw Nation is hosting the Memorial Day weekend arts festival at the Artesian Plaza. Festivities begin at 10 a.m. and end at 8 p.m.

A community celebration of all forms of art, Native American artists and art are the main focus of the festival.

The event features diverse art media and a variety of visual art such as paintings, basketry, jewelry, sculpture, metalworking, bead work, textiles and pottery.

Open to artists from all federally recognized tribes, 90 Native artists will compete in as many as 21 categories.

Cash awards will be presented for first, second and third place in each category, as well as “Best of Show.”

Esteemed artists representing 10 states and 17 Native American tribes will be participating in the Artesian Arts Festival. Artists scheduled to participate include Chickasaw textile artists Margaret Roach Wheeler and Maya Stewart, renowned Cherokee potter Jane Osti, award-winning Chickasaw bladesmith Daniel Worcester, Tim Tate Nevaquaya, and many more.

Dozens of booths lining Muskogee Street in Sulphur will display works of the artists. Artists will also be demonstrating, sharing and discussing their craft in the ARTesian Art Gallery throughout the day, beginning at 10 a.m. with a live paint by Chickasaw artist Mike Larsen. Other artists presenting artist talks includes: Tracie Davis, Wayne Edgar, Sue Fish, Matthew Girty, Jimmie Harrison, Kevin Mathey, Vicki Somers, Tim Nevaquaya, Tony Tiger, Daniel Worcester, Jeremy Wallace and Ellen Etzler.

The daylong festival will also highlight a variety of musical entertainment, tribal dance demonstrations and regalia. Bands will provide continuous entertainment on two stages. The musical line-up for the event includes a range of entertainment, including children’s music, alternative rock, pop, Latin pop, country and more.

Included in the lineup on the main stage are: Zac Garcia, “Highwater Gamble,” “Overdrive,” “Injunuity,” “Darryl Tonemah,” “John Bomboy and the Underscores,” and children’s entertainers “Sugar Free Allstars.”

Band’s scheduled for the Plaza stage include: “Tequila Azul,” Brooke Potter, Nathan Burris, Tim Nevaquaya, “The Hideouts,” “The Suede Panthers,” and “Right Place, Right Time.”

Four Native American Dance troupes including the Chickasaw Nation Stomp Dancers, Native American Hoop Dance, the Pueblo Enchantment Dancers and Magic Circle Entertainment are also scheduled to demonstrate and share native dances.

More than a dozen food trucks and food booths will be serving festival fare such as roasted corn, kettle corn, Indian Tacos, barbecue, funnel cakes, ice cream and more.

A special area for children’s activities and a senior citizens’ arts and crafts booth are also planned for the day.

Open to the public at no charge, the Artesian Arts Festival welcomed more than 4,500 to last year’s festival.

For more information about the Artesian Arts Festival, contact the Chickasaw Nation Division of Arts & Humanities at (580) 272-5520, by email at artistinfo@chickasaw.net.

The Artesian Plaza is located adjacent to the Artesian Hotel and Spa, 1001 W. First Street.