(Fort Washakie, WY) – The Eastern Shoshone Tribe would like to thank the public for attending the 65th Annual Eastern Shoshone Indian Days Powwow held in Fort Washakie. Dancers, drummers, vendors, visitors, and community members make this event the largest powwow of Wyoming every year.
Dancers from as far as Iowa, Kansas, California, New Mexico, Washington, and even Canada partook in the cultural festivities over the three-day powwow. Financial support was provided by the Shoshone Business Council and Wind River Visitors Council. Contributions were also made by the Eastern Shoshone Housing Authority, Shoshone Roads Department, Huff Sanitation, Wind River Development Fund, Native Precision FX, American Legion Richard Pogue Post 81, families of Thelma Sather for the Handgame Tournament, The Inn at Lander, Shoshone Rose Casino & Hotel, and the Hampton Inn Riverton.
It takes a large team to make this happen. The Eastern Shoshone Entertainment Committee took the lead on organizing the powwow. In addition, more people helped prepare the powwow grounds, coordinated registration, managed security and trash collection, secured wifi, electricity, and water, prepared signage, coordinated parking, provided medical support, and police enforcement. The ESEC thanks Sentinel Security, Homespun Electric, TNA Cleaning, John Brown, and Karen Snyder. The head judges, arena coordinators, announcers, host drums, sales coordinators, food servers, and other contractors also played a major role in helping make this event a success. There were 20 food vendors and 75 arts & craft booths registered this year. This was organized by Rachel Ynostrosa.
The newly crowned royalty for the 2025-2026 Eastern Shoshone Indian Days were Queen Dionne Ferris, Princess Zids Arrow White, and Junior Princess Aveila Valdez. Specials included the Missing & Murdered Indigenous Relatives Awareness Dance Special, which helped honor and raise awareness on our MMIR. Other specials were held by outgoing royalty Arianna Whiteplume and Malene Avila-Miller. Junior Princess Whiteplume held a side-step special, while Avila-Miller held a Northern Men’s Traditional versus Northern Women’s Traditional dance special.
Annual Powwow Winners
More than 500 dancers registered for the powwow. The following dancers who placed were:
h/t Eastern Shoshone Tribe