Pathways Native Arts Festival

Friday, Aug. 20 and Sunday, Aug. 22 9 am-6 pm Hilton Buffalo Thunder Resort and Casino

30 Buffalo Thunder Trail 505-455-5054; poehcenter.org/pathways

The Poeh Cultural Center and Pojoaque Pueblo launch this new artist market with a Thursday night VIP party ($50), featuring refreshments and live entertainment. Featured artists Diego Romero (Cochiti Pueblo) and Roxanne Swentzell (Santa Clara Pueblo) lead the celebrations.

“We are thrilled to celebrate our resilience this past year as we begin to advance Native artistry and creativity,” says Karl Duncan (Mandan/ Hidatsa/Arikara/Apache), executive director of the Poeh. He and the rest of the Poeh staff spent 2020 serving Native art communities throughout the COVID-19 crisis. “This past year we have promoted staying connected virtually with free workshops, classes, artist masks, artist grants and online markets, but now we hope to reconnect with our Native Arts community.”

Buffalo Thunder, located 15 minutes north of the Santa Fe Plaza on U.S. 285, host 500 artist booths both indoors and outdoors. Open to artists from all federally recognized tribes, the market features Southwest artists as well as those from throughout the United States.

World-renowned Cochiti potter Diego Romero has a booth at the Pathways Festival. “The Poeh has been a supporter of my family since its conception,” Romero says. “This year, I saw that they were answering an unmet need in the community and expanding a market for many. I instantly wanted to join their market and support our community in bolstering a fantastic comeback weekend as we all emerge from the pandemic and a long, difficult year for our large extended art families.”

Masks and social distancing are required throughout the resort. Musicians and the Pueblo of Pojoaque Youth Hoop Dancers perform. Saya’s Frybread and Indian Tacos is the featured food vendor, and resort restaurants are also open. NSRGNTS hosts a youth art workshop. Admission is free.