Cherokee Nation Cancels In Person Events For Upcoming Cherokee National Holiday Celebrations

The Cherokee Nation will be moving its celebration for the 69th annual Cherokee National Holiday online after a surge in COVID cases.

Cherokee Nation cancelations include the Holiday weekend’s annual inter-tribal powwow, softball tournament, golf tournament, stickball exhibition, traditional games, car show, and downtown artisan markets.

The Cherokee Nation health system recorded 786 new COVID-19 cases the week of Aug. 1, a week-to-week increase of more than 370 percent compared to the first week of July, and the highest recorded number of weekly positive cases since January. This upward trend in cases has continued since June. Approximately 95 percent of new COVID-19 cases in the tribe’s health system are among unvaccinated patients. About 90 percent of new cases are from the highly contagious Delta variant.

The annual State of the Nation address by Chief Hoskin will be online Saturday, Sept. 4, at 11:30 a.m. The tribe will also host the Drive-In Movie Nights on September 2-4 at 8 p.m. at One Fire Field west of the Cherokee Nation W.W. Keeler Tribal Complex in Tahlequah. The annual Holiday quilt show and art show will also be broadcast virtually, as will the Miss Cherokee competition, and video demonstrations of traditional Cherokee culture and language. The Drive-In Fireworks Show will take place at Cherokee Springs Plaza on September 5 at 8 p.m.

Visit the official website of the Cherokee National Holiday at www.thecherokeeholiday.com for more information on virtual events.