The Ponca Tribe of Nebraska wants to welcome you to the 29th Annual Northern Ponca Powwow!
Location: The Powwow grounds are located one mile West of Niobrara on Highway 12. Turn left at the Ponca sign, located across from the Niobrara State Park. Follow the pavement to the Powwow Grounds.
Parking: Once you’ve arrived at the grounds, please pay attention to all directions posted and volunteers for parking, camping, vendors, restrooms, hand washing stations, cooling stations, first aid, emergency services, and trash.
There is a designated parking space for Elders or handicapped, as well as staff parking and general and overflow parking for all other spectators. General parking is first-come, first-served and a shuttle will be provided.
Vendor parking will be located on either side of the Powwow Arbor, next to the Elder/Handicap parking. See the grounds map for further details.
Camping: Please refer to posted signage, volunteers, and the Powwow Grounds Map for tent and RV camping locations. Note: this year the tent camping locations have no outlet access and the RV camping has limited hookups.
All camping locations are first-come, first-served and designated for specific locations. Please plan accordingly and plan to come to the grounds early to secure a spot.
See safety information for details on campfire regulations.
Click here to see the Powwow Grounds Map.
Click here to see the 2023 Powwow Booklet.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for the Annual Northern Ponca Powwow, August 11-13 in Niobrara, NE! 2-3-hour shifts leave plenty of time to enjoy Powwow with friends and family. We are still seeking volunteers for various positions, including parking direction, meal help, and other event staff. Sign up at Powwow, or online at https://ow.ly/A1AJ50PouTe. All volunteers must sign a release form upon checking with the Powwow Committee, located in the Crow’s Nest. On behalf of the Powwow Committee, we thank you for your participation!
Weekend Event Schedule:
Thursday, August 10, 2023
Hand Game: Ponca members and all Natives are invited to join the Language and Culture Department at the Community Grounds the night before Powwow for a Hand Game! A meal will be provided. Junior Flores will be presenting. Everyone welcome! For more information, please contact Ricky Wright Jr. at 402.371.8834 or rwrightjr@poncatribe-ne.org.
Friday, August 11, 2023
Reel Mentors Youth/Elder Fishing Event: Ponca Tribe of Nebraska Elders (55+) and youth ages 8-16 are invited to join the Youth Council, and Ponca Member Ron Suverkrubbe’s Reel Mentors organization for a day of fishing and fun. Lunch will be provided. Fishing poles will be provided to participants on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, contact Becci Sullivan at 531.222.4471.
Diabetes Program Bubble Run: Come walk or run and have some good clean fun! Walkers and runners are welcome. Prizes to winners in each age division.
A meal will be provided around 6 pm, or one hour prior to each Grand Entry. Dancers and elders eat first. Grand Entry is scheduled to begin around 7 pm, but the time is subject to change.
Grand Entry: 7 pm
Saturday, August 12, 2023
Breakfast & Bingo, Honoring our Elders: The Osni Ponka Youth Council will host their annual Breakfast and Bingo to honor our elders (55+) at the PTN Headquarters building on the Saturday of Powwow, August 12, 2023.
The Youth Council will serve a hot breakfast at 9:00 am and bingo will start at 9:45 am and will go until 11 am or until all prizes have been distributed.
Cornhole Tournament: Returning this year is the Cornhole tournament on August 12 at 10 am by the horseshoe pits. This is a doubles game, so bring a friend! The cost to participate is $20.
1st Prize: $350
2nd Prize: $210
3rd Prize: $140
Archery Range: New this year, we will have an Archery Range east of the grounds. Come experience language and culture through the medium of traditional archery! This will be available from 9-11 am and 4-6 on Saturday. This activity is beginner friendly and is open to all ages and skill levels. Bows and arrows will be provided. If you’d like to use your own bow and arrows, they must be approved by the Range Officer on site.
Staff will be at the range to provide assistance and education and to monitor safety. Please follow all safety guidelines and range rules posted; all range rules must be followed to participate. Eight archers can participate at once.
A meal will be provided around noon, 1 hour prior to Grand Entry. Grand Entry is scheduled to begin at 1 pm, but the time is subject to change.
Grand Entry: 1 pm
Missing or Murdered Indigenous Relatives Powwow March: The Domestic Violence Program would like to invite the family members of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) to march with us during Saturday afternoon’s Grand Entry at 1 pm at the Annual Powwow. The DV Program staff marches to honor the loved ones who are missing or were murdered, and family members affected by their absence, and to bring awareness to this epidemic of injustices.
Archery Range: The Archery Range will be open again from 4-6 pm.
A meal will be provided around 6 pm, 1 hour prior to Grand Entry. Grand Entry is scheduled to begin at 7 pm, but time is subject to change.
Grand Entry: 7 pm
Sunday, August 13, 2023
Horseshoe Contest: Come pitch some shoes! The horseshoe contest is located just off the Education trail, southwest of the Agency building. There is a $20 entrance fee to participate. This is a doubles game, so bring a friend!
1st Prize: $350
2nd Prize: $210
3rd Prize: $140
Archery Range: The Archery Range will be open again from 9-11 am.
A meal will be provided around noon, 1 hour prior to Grand Entry. Grand Entry is scheduled to begin at 1 pm, but time is subject to change.
Grand Entry: 1 pm
Safety Information:
Insects: Ticks are an ever-present concern during warm weather, especially when walking through grassy, brushy, or wooded areas, which are all around the Powwow grounds. The grounds have been sprayed for mosquitoes, but attendees should pack bug repellant if they plan to spend a significant amount of time outdoors. There has also been a spike in West Nile Virus in Nebraska. Please bring insect repellant, and consider treating all clothing with products containing 0.5% permethrin, which can be used on boots, clothing, and camping gear and lasts through multiple washes.
After you’ve been outside, examine your gear, your clothing, and your body, and consider showering after being outside for extended periods of time. Showering within two hours of coming indoors has been shown to reduce the risk of getting Lyme disease and may be effective in reducing other tick-borne diseases, according to the CDC. This also gives you an opportunity to check your body for ticks. Check especially under your arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, backs of knees, in and around the hair, between the legs, and around the waist.
Sun & heat: Niobrara, Nebraska is hot during the month of August. Click here to learn more about the differences between heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and how to avoid heat-related injuries.
Severe Weather: In the event of severe weather, follow directions provided by Safety staff. Take shelter when necessary. The permanent bathrooms serve as storm shelter. Click here to learn more about severe weather.
Camping/fire rules:
• Fires are permitted in the provided fire rings ONLY
• Keep fires small, and contained within the ring
• Leave clear a 10-foot area around the ring down to the dirt.
• Stack extra wood upwind and AWAY from fire.
• After lighting, throw the match into the fire.
• NEVER leave a campfire unattended; an adult should supervise the campfire at all times. (Campfires should be extinguished before leaving the campsite)
• Keep a bucket of water and shovel nearby.
• Never put anything but wood into the fire.
• Do NOT pull sticks out of the fire.
• Do NOT sit on the fire ring. It will heat up quickly and stay hot for a long time.
• When it’s time to put the fire out, dump lots of water on it, stir it with a shovel, then dump more water on it. Make sure it is COLD before leaving your campsite. If it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot to leave!
Click here to learn more about fire safety & prevention.
Vendors: Click here to view all our Food and Craft vendors this year. We are continuing to add more vendors as we get closer to the Powwow, so additional vendors will be added to our website.
FOOD VENDORS: If you are a food vendor this year for Powwow, you need to complete the food handlers certification linked here: https://www.ihs.gov/GeneralWeb/webapps/webprofile/register/indexpop2.cfm?module=register&rs=https://www.ihs.gov/index.cfm%2Ffoodhandler%2F?
To complete your certification, you’ll create an account, log in, and complete the class and test. Once you’ve completed the class and test, you’ll bring the certification with you to the Powwow.
If you already have a current NE/IA food handler’s certification, you do not need to complete this class and test.
Princess Contest: Every year for the Powwow the Committee holds a princess contest for female dancers. There are three (3) different princess categories: Senior Princess Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, Junior Miss Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, and Little Miss Ponca Tribe of Nebraska. Each category of princess has a select age range that a dancer must fall into to be considered a princess contestant:
Senior Princess – Ages 13-19
Junior Princess Ages 8-12
Little Miss Ages 4-7
Each princess contestant must submit her completed application to the Powwow Committee along with proof of enrollment in the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska. Princess information is due to the Committee before 12:00 PM on Saturday of the Powwow. For any questions, please reach out to Ricky Wright Jr. at rwrightjr@poncatribe-ne.org.