TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — Cherokee Nation will host several events in the month of October, including an art market, two meetings for at-large citizens in California, and the grand opening of the Anna Mitchell Cultural & Welcome Center in Vinita.

October 1

Join us for the 5th Annual Cherokee Day in Vinita as we celebrate with Cherokee National Treasures and performers, including the Cherokee Adult Choir. This event, which is free and open to the public, runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Eastern Trails Museum, 215 W. Illinois Ave., in Vinita. Cherokee National Treasures in attendance include Lena Stick, Barbara Adair, Tommy Wildcat, Eddie Morrison, Cathy Abercrombie and Lisa Rutherford. In addition to demonstrations, they will also have their work for sale. All activities will be held outside the museum.

In-person and virtual Kay Lane Run in Muskogee. An in-person 1K Fun Run begins at 8 a.m. and an in-person 5K begins at 8:15 a.m. at Three Rivers Health Center in Muskogee, with proceeds benefitting Relay For Life. Runners can also participate virtually from October 1 through October 8. The race is free to members of the Cherokee Nation Public Health Wings Program but is also open to non-members for a fee. To register online, visit runsignup.com/kaylanewellness. For more information, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

October 3

The Cherokee Nation Anna Mitchell Cultural & Welcome Center in Vinita will celebrate its grand opening from 1 to 3 p.m. at 953 E. Illinois Ave. in Vinita. Named in honor of the late Cherokee National Treasure Anna Belle Sixkiller Mitchell, the center opens Monday and shares the history of both Cherokee Nation and the Vinita community while honoring Mitchell’s efforts to revitalize Cherokee pottery. For more information, go to VisitCherokeeNation.com.

2022 Sovereignty Run: The Cherokee Nation will kick off the 20th Anniversary Sovereignty Run hosted by the National Congress of American Indians and Bright Path Strong, beginning at the Cherokee Nation Reservation on Oct. 3, and eventually ending in Sacramento, California, on Oct. 31. The Sovereignty Run program kicks off at 8:15 a.m. and the run starts at 9 a.m. at the One Fire Field just west of the Cherokee Nation W.W. Keeler Tribal Complex. Dozens of participants from Cherokee Nation and NCAI members, partners and Indian Country allies will participate in the walk and run. To learn more, check out sovereigntyrun.org.

October 8 & 9

For more than 15 years, the Cherokee Art Market has brought the best in Native art to Oklahoma. With approximately 150 elite artists representing tribes from across the United States, the Cherokee Art Market features artwork of unrivaled quality. Attend the market in person at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa. Market hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Admission is $5 per person, and children under 12 can attend for free. For more information, go to CherokeeArtMarket.com. For questions, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 918-384-6990.

October 10

Cherokee Nation W.W. Keeler Tribal Complex, health centers and satellite offices will be closed Monday, October 10, in observance of Indigenous Peoples Day. Cherokee Nation W.W. Hastings Hospital urgent care and emergency department and other emergency services will remain open.

October 14

Don’t forget to register to vote: Friday, October 14, is the final day to register to vote in the Oklahoma General Election in November. Visit CherokeeVote.com for more information on registering to vote.

October 15

Sequoyah Day: Stop by the Sequoyah’s Cabin Museum in Sallisaw from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to celebrate Sequoyah Day. Various artists will be selling artwork, Choogie Kingfisher will be telling stories and playing his flute, and the Cherokee National Adult Choir will perform. This event is open to the public, and visitors can participate in a marbles game, cornstalk shoot, stickball, a pottery firing demonstration and flintknapping. Sequoyah’s Cabin Museum is located at 470288 Highway 101 in Sallisaw.

Cherokee Nation is hosting an at-large meeting for Cherokee citizens living in or near Pasadena, California. Be sure to join us from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Brookside Park Picnic Area B, 360 N Arroyo Blvd., in Pasadena for this exciting meeting with cultural presentations and demonstrations. Visit with Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr., Deputy Chief Bryan Warner, and at-large Council members Julia Coates and Johnny Kidwell. A meal will be provided. Tribal Registration will be on site for photo IDs and citizenship applications. Education Services and Cherokee Vote will also be in attendance to assist citizens. For questions regarding the event, please call 918-207-4963.

In-person and virtual Nowata Run. An in-person 1K Fun Run begins at 7 a.m. and an in-person 5K begins at 7:30 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Nowata, with proceeds benefitting Nowata CAN. 5K runners can also participate virtually. The race is free to members of the Cherokee Nation Public Health Wings Program but is also open to non-members for a fee. To register online, visit runsignup.com/nowata5k. For more information, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

October 16

Cherokee Nation is hosting an at-large meeting for Cherokee citizens living in or near San Diego, California. Be sure to join us from noon to 4 p.m. at Admiral Baker Park, Gazebo #2
2400 Admiral Baker Road, in San Diego for this exciting meeting with cultural presentations and demonstrations. Visit with Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr., Deputy Chief Bryan Warner, and at-large Council members Julia Coates and Johnny Kidwell. A meal will be provided. Tribal Registration will be on site for photo IDs and citizenship applications. Education Services and Cherokee Vote will also be in attendance to assist citizens. For questions regarding the event, please call 918-207-4963.

October 17

A community meeting in Locust Grove will be held to discuss future water projects in the areas south of Locust Grove, including the communities of Snake Creek and Iron Post. This meeting is open to the public and begins at 6:30 p.m. at Locust Grove Upper Elementary School, 720 S. Hwy 82, in Locust Grove. For more information, please contact Chris Sams at 918-453-5111 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

October 20

Cherokee Nation and the Oklahoma Blood Institute will be holding a blood drive at the W.W. Keeler Tribal Complex in Tahlequah. This event is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Tsa-La-Gi Community Room. Donors must be 16 years old or older and will receive a T-shirt. For more information, please contact Cherokee Nation Community Health Nursing at 539-234-1816 or 539-234-1817.

Ongoing

The “Thelma Forrest: A Weaver’s Wisdom” exhibit is now on display through January 7, 2023, at the Saline Courthouse Museum in Rose. The exhibit looks at the life and work of Cherokee National Treasure Thelma Forrest, a prolific basket weaver who has taught traditional Cherokee basketry for many years. Admission to the museum is free and is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, go to VisitCherokeeNation.com.

The “We Are Cherokee: Cherokee Freedmen and the Right to Citizenship” exhibit is running now through April 29, 2023, at the Cherokee National History Museum in Tahlequah. This exhibit explores the history of Cherokee Freedmen through a historical look at chattel slavery’s beginnings in Cherokee Nation through slave emancipation and the legal fight Freedmen descendants endured to win recognition as Cherokee Nation citizens. The exhibit includes some of the images and stories contributed by families in the Cherokee Nation’s call for stories. It also features original artwork inspired by the Freedman experience. Admission to the museum is free and is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, go to VisitCherokeeNation.com.

The “It Takes a Nation: Sequoyah Schools and the Roots of Excellence” exhibit is running now through November 5 at the John Ross Museum in Park Hill. This exhibit examines the story of Sequoyah Schools, which opened in March 1872 to care for Cherokee children orphaned after the American Civil War. Admission to the museum is free and is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, go to VisitCherokeeNation.com.

The “Sovereignty on Trial: The Tragedy at Goingsnake” exhibit is running now through April 8, 2023, at the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court Museum in Tahlequah. This exhibit looks at what has been called the Goingsnake Massacre on its 150th anniversary. On April 15, 1872, Cherokee Nation citizen Ezekiel Proctor was on trial in a Cherokee Nation court for the murder of Cherokee Nation citizen Mary “Polly” Hildebrand when a U.S. Marshal’s posse sent to arrest Proctor interrupted the trial. Admission to the museum is free and is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, go to VisitCherokeeNation.com.

Looking ahead

November 5: SkasdiCon — An Indigenous Comic Convention. At this one-day event, guests can attend graphic novel/Native Pop Culture panel discussions, meet Indigenous artists and creators of popular TV show and movie fan art, see a screening of Inage’I (an animation all in the Cherokee language) and participate in a family-friendly cosplay competition. This event is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the University Center Ballroom at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah. Learn more at Skasdicon.com.