25th Annual Hawaiian Gardens Friendship Pow Wow Set for August 23–24

July 29, 2025

LCCN Staff Report

The 25th Annual Robert Canada Native American Friendship Pow Wow will take place Saturday and Sunday, August 23 and 24, at the Fedde Sports Complex in Hawaiian Gardens. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, with Grand Entry scheduled for 12 noon on both days.

Sponsored by the local Native American community and supported by the Hawaiian Gardens Eagles Soccer Club, the pow wow is a rare opportunity to experience Native American culture through traditional singing, drumming, and dancing. The event also features an Indigenous marketplace with arts, crafts, and the ever-popular frybread.

This year’s celebration honors Tongva/Acjachemen spiritual leader Jimi Castillo, as well as several community elders and spiritual leaders who have passed.

More than just a cultural festival, the pow wow is a vital civic gathering for urban Native communities—many of which lack dedicated cultural centers or community spaces. In that void, the pow wow becomes the heart of the community, offering a place for cultural preservation, political expression, spiritual renewal, and intergenerational connection.

Saturday will feature California Indian Bird Singers before the Grand Entry, while Sunday begins with the Golden State Gourd Dancers. The event is family friendly, open to the public, and free of charge. All drums and dancers are welcome.

Please note: no drugs, alcohol, pets, or selling of sage is permitted on site (service animals only).

The event will be held at Fedde Sports Complex, 21409 Elaine Avenue, Hawaiian Gardens, CA 90716.

For vendor inquiries or more information, contact Jesus Mendoza at [email protected].