(Fort Washakie, WY) – More than 2,000 people gathered in Fort Washakie over the weekend of June 19 through 21 for the 66th Annual Eastern Shoshone Indian Days Powwow, the largest annual gathering on the Wind River Reservation.
Darrell LoneBear Sr. leads the color guard out into the arbor during the grand entry Saturday night in Fort Washakie. h/t Carl Cote Stefan Kaulaity checks on a young dancer who catches his breath during a dance Friday night during a teen dance. h/t Carl Cote Chico Her Many Horses gets the dancing started during a golden age dance Friday night in Fort Washakie. h/t Carl Cote Little Sun singers sing a song as an intertribal dance is underway. h/t Carl Cote Darion Hereford and Noah St. Clair hold up achievement certificates at the powwow after their recent graduation from Lander Valley High School. h/t Carl Cote Brian St. Clair collects his envelope for recognition for achieving a 4.0 grade point average last semester in college. High school and college graduates were all recognized during a ceremony after the grand entry Friday night. h/t Carl Cote
Seven drum groups performed across the three-day event, and dancers made the trip from as far as Florida, Alaska, Canada, and Southern California to compete across divisions ranging from tiny tots to golden age. Vendors from across North America set up along the grounds selling jewelry, clothing, accessories, and regalia-related supplies. Local food trucks were joined by traveling vendors to feed the crowd, and multiple attendees said cell service from nearby Verizon towers buckled under the volume of attendees.
The weekend opened Thursday evening with a youth powwow grand entry and closed Sunday night with one of the most memorable iron man specials in recent memory.
A dancer readjusts his regalia in the stands of the new arbor in Fort Washakie Friday night. h/t Carl Cote Two young dancers talked at the edge of the arbor Friday night in Fort Washakie. h/t Carl Cote A young dancer shows her moves int he setting sun Friday night at the Eastern Shoshone Indian Days Powwow in Fort Washakie. h/t Carl Cote A fancy dancer strolls into the arbor during the grand entry Saturday night. h/t Carl Cote 
Dancers form an arc around the color guard and powwow royalty during the grand entry Satuday night at the Eastern Shoshone Indian Days Powwow. h/t Carl Cote
On Sunday evening, as the sun dropped behind the Wind River Mountains, the arbor focused on the MMIR Red Dress Special. Master of ceremonies Al Santos, who lost his own sister to violence, was joined by MMIR307 organizer Nicole Wagon and her family. Together they performed an original song with the Ottertrail singers while dancers and spectators made a lap around the arbor in the fading light. Wagon and her family then gifted prizes to winners of specials held for men and women, each given two dances to find a champion.
Nicole Wagon and announcer Al Santos embraced as Santos introduced the MMIR307 special Sunday evening calling a group of female dancers and a group of male dancers to compete in honor of lost relatives all over Indian country. h/t Carl Cote The MMIR 307 precession was joined by dancers and spectators for a lap around the arbor during an original song written by emcee Al Santos, and performed by the Ottertrail singers. h/t Carl Cote Mens category dancers shake the hands of the MMIR307 family after their special dance Sunday evening. h/t Carl Cote A judge watches dancers in the center of the arbor Sunday night during the MMIR307 special. h/t Carl Cote Dancers and specators shake the hands of the color guard as the flags are retired at sunset Sunday evening. h/t Carl Cote
The final event of the powwow was the Mean Girls Lemonade Iron Man Special, with local singers Little Brave joining Ottertrail on the arbor stage. Fancy dancers were invited to compete in a format with no breaks between songs, the two drum groups trading off without pause.
“Give it your all until you can’t anymore,” announcer Corey Reeder told the dancers. “If you’re not dancing hard enough, the judges will remove you.”
Little Brave plays a song as they swap back-to-back songs with Ottertrail for 34 songs during the Sam Her Many Horses Fancy Feather Iron Man Endurance Dance. Th/t Carl Cote A fancy dancer catches the last light of the day Sunday evening at the Eastern Shoshone Indian Days Powwow. h/t Carl Cote A fancy dancer makes his way back to his seat after two songs Sunday night. h/t Carl Cote Fancy Shawl Dancers spin their way across the arbor Sunday in Fort Washakie. h/t Carl Cote Dai’Onna Posey twirls her fancy shawl in the setting sunlight Sunday. h/t Carl Cote Darian Augistine holds up his number as the judges deliberate Sunday evening after a mens’ grass dance. h/t Carl Cote Judges keep track of dancers at the front of the arbor Sunday at the Eastern Shoshone Indian Days Powwow. h/t Carl Cote
Around 20 dancers entered. By the 20th song, only five remained, some stepping aside voluntarily and others removed by judges. Dasan Scholfield and Preston Olney danced past that mark together, pushing through 32 songs that stretched across more than 90 minutes without rest. When neither man showed signs of giving out, the judges put it to the crowd. The cheer that came back gave the win to Scholfield and his prize was $1000.
The weekend also marked a transition in royalty. Queen Dionne Ferris transferred her crown to Kiauna Love Shongutsie for 2026. Princess Zids Arrow White passed her title to Chloe McAdams, and Jr. Princess Aveila Valdez transferred her title to Amani Whelan.
Darian Augistine prepares to enter the arbor at sunset Saturday night in Fort Washakie. h/t Carl Cote A jingle dress dancer walks into the arbor as fancy feather dancers occupy the center during the grand entry Saturday. h/t Carl Cote Fort Washakie junior KayCee McCabe dances his way into the arbor during the grand entry Saturday night. h/t Carl Cote Newly crowned 2026 powwow queen Kiauna Shongutsie smiled as she was hugged during her crowning ceremony Saturday night in Fort Washakie. h/t Carl Cote Dancers show off for the judges during Dionne Ferris’s red dress special Saturday. h/t Carl Cote Sunlight cuts over the arbor onto a dancer’s face Sunday evening on the last day of the powwow. h/t Carl Cote Noah St. Clair helps sing a song during one of the final dances Saturday evening in Fort Washakie. h/t Carl Cote A dancer smiles as she pivots around the arbor during a dance Sunday. h/t Carl Cote A dancer turns quickly during a dance Sunday evening at the Eastern Shoshone Indian Days Powwow. h/t Carl Cote George Abeyta introduces Dionne Ferris’s red dress special Saturday night in Fort Washakie. h/t Carl Cote
