Cherokee National Holiday facts for kids

Cool arts and crafts booths at the Cherokee National Holiday in 2007

The Cherokee National Holiday is a big yearly celebration. It happens every Labor Day weekend in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. This special event remembers September 6, 1839. That's when the Cherokee Nation signed its Constitution in Oklahoma. This happened after the very difficult journey known as the Trail of Tears ended.

A Huge Celebration in Oklahoma

This holiday started way back in 1953. Since then, it has grown into one of the biggest festivals in Oklahoma! More than 70,000 people come to celebrate. They travel from all over the country.

Many people who attend are tribal members. This includes the Cherokee people. Other tribes from the "Five Civilized Tribes" also join in. These are the Chickasaws, the Choctaws, the Creeks, and the Seminoles.

People from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina also come. And the United Keetoowah Band, also based in Tahlequah, joins the fun.

Fun Activities and Events

The holiday is packed with many cultural and artistic events. There's a two-night pow wow where different tribes gather. You can watch exciting stickball games. There are also tournaments for Cherokee marbles and horseshoes.

Other popular events include cornstalk shoot tournaments. You can also find softball tournaments and exciting rodeos. There are cool car and art shows to explore.

You can listen to gospel singings. A special part of the holiday is the annual Miss Cherokee pageant. There's also a big parade. The Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation gives an important speech. It's called the "State of the Nation" address.

A stickball match during the Cherokee National Holiday. This game was played at Sequoyah High School in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

Holiday Themes

Each year, a special committee picks a new theme for the celebration. These themes help guide the activities and focus of the holiday. For example, some past themes have been "Rising Together" and "Water is Sacred." These themes often reflect important values or ideas for the Cherokee Nation.

Changes Due to COVID-19

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 68th Cherokee National Holiday in 2020 was different. It became a "virtual holiday." Many events still happened online. People could watch the Chief's speech and the Cherokee art show. They could also see the Miss Cherokee competition. Demonstrations of traditional games were also shown online.

However, some events had to be canceled. These included the annual parade and the fishing derby. The powwow, softball tournament, and arts and crafts markets were also paused. These events were planned to return the next year.