- Details
- By Levi Rickert
After 43 years, the Gathering of Nations Powwow, billed as the largest powwow in North America, will come to an end on April 24–25, 2026. The announcement was made in a press release on Saturday, as organizers revealed the official dates and event poster for the final powwow.
The poster prominently features the words: “THE LAST DANCE.”
“There comes a time,” is the only official statement released by Gathering of Nations Limited, the organization that founded the powwow more than four decades ago.
The 43rd and final Gathering of Nations Powwow will take place at Expo New Mexico/Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The Expo NM grounds offer a vibrant and welcoming setting, featuring popular attractions such as the enchanting and reverent Teepee Village, the Native American Horse/Regalia and Rider Parade on Main Street, the indoor Indian Trader’s Market, a Native food court, car show, and some of the best competitive and social dancing in North America. Native dancers and singers from across the United States and Canada are expected to participate.
In 2026, the powwow will also join in the Route 66 centennial celebrations, hosting various activities on the grounds as part of the historic tribute.
The Gathering of Nations annually attracts over 3,000 performers and more than 100,000 visitors. An additional 4.2 million people engage with the event through its live webcast, according to the Gathering of Nations website.
In April 2023, the event set an attendance record with over 105,000 attendees. Dancers and singers representing more than 500 tribes from across the U.S. and Canada regularly take part.
The Gathering of Nations also hosts the annual Miss Indian World competition, one of the most prestigious cultural pageants in Native America.
The conclusion of the Gathering of Nations Powwow will be a significant loss for Albuquerque. The city typically sees hotel rooms fully booked during powwow weekend.
According to Reilly White, a finance professor at the University of New Mexico, the event generates approximately $30 million in economic impact for the city each year.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Oral History Project Announces 14th Stop in Portland, Oregon: NABS Continues to Gather Crucial Stories Across Indian Country
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Monday Morning: (August 18, 2025): Articles You May Have Missed This Past Weekend
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
