5th Annual Two Spirit Powwow
Dancing Into Summer With New Native Theatre
Happy Pride Month and summer greetings from all of us at New Native Theatre.
The birds are migrating, the drums are warming up, the kids are getting out of school, and Minnesota is finally thawing out. Summer is here, and we’ve got a lot to look forward to! We're talking about: dancing, food trucks, youth programs, community celebration, powerful storytelling, and exciting events ahead. Hold my auntie.
Coming up in Pride Month, we are excited to present the 5th Annual Two Spirit Powwow!
Join us on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 at the Minneapolis American Indian Center. New Native Theatre is thrilled to produce the largest powwow in the Midwest dedicated to Two Spirit and LGBTQIA+ relatives.
The event will feature raffles, vendors, food trucks, a potato dance, community celebration, and more.
Registration: 3:00 PM
Community Feast: 4:00 PM
Grand Entry: 5:30 PM
Are you a Two Spirit poet or artist?
We are currently accepting submissions of Two Spirit poetry, writing, drawings, and cartoons for our annual Powwow Zine. Selected entries will be featured in the zine and will receive a small honorarium.
The deadline for submissions is June 4, 2026.
Youth Theater Summer Camp
And heads up, it’s almost time for our annual Youth Theater Summer Camp!
This year’s camp runs August 10–14, 2026. This weeklong summer camp is dedicated to fostering confidence, creativity, and theatrical talent in Native community youth, culminating in a performance on Friday afternoon.
We are currently accepting registrations for Native community youth in South Minneapolis entering 1st through 5th grade.
The Bird Blind
Before we go, we also want to take one more moment to thank everyone who joined us this spring for the world premiere of The Bird Blind by Kira Apaachuaq Eckenweiler at 825 Arts in St. Paul.
We had a fantastic turnout for this beautiful, unflinching play about an Alaska Native family’s story of hardship, resilience, and hope in the face of trauma. Audience response was incredible, and we were deeply moved by the many wonderful talkbacks where community members reflected on the play through their own lived experiences. It means so much to us to tell stories that reveal the complexity, humanity, and beauty within Native communities all across Turtle Island.
We hope you all have a wonderful entry into summer, and keep an eye out for us at the Minnesota State Fair.
More details coming soon!
