sakihiwe news
sakihiwe festival 2025
We’re working with the Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre and the Spence Neighbourhood Association to bring some incredible music, art, and fun to Winnipeg’s core and northend this summer. The 2025 edition of the sākihiwē festival, set for June 26 - 29, will include a ticketed concert on Thursday night, the sākihiwē festival stage at Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre's 40th anniversary celebration on Friday, the Turtle Island Block Party on Saturday, and the Central Park Block Party on Sunday.
sākihiwē festival 2025
Four days
22 performers
19 Indigenous artisans
June 26 - 29, 2025
Winnipeg | Treaty One Territory
Everyone welcome
sakihiwe.ca
"We want Indigenous and newcomer families to be able to participate in our programming without risking their personal safety, family obligations, or their ability to make ends meet so we take our stages to different neighbourhoods each day," explains Festival Director Alan Greyeyes. "But we also serve as a stepping stone for Indigenous artists and we're excited to welcome RayTheNihilist, Darla Daniels, Highway 373, NIYA, Tyrell Bird, Angela Amarualik, Juurini, Mitchell Makoons, and Singing Wolf to our festival for the first time this year."
Everything will begin in ceremony for us on June 24 and we'll open up the festival to the public with performances by Ernest Monias and Kristen McKay at the West End Cultural Centre on June 26. Tickets for our Opening Night concert are $20 and we'll be donating 100 to families from northern First Nations who have been forced to evacuate their homes because of the forest fires.
We believe that art and cultural deserts have the same negative effects on our mental health that food deserts have on our physical well being, so we'll produce a free concert for the Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre on Friday and then roll out our free block parties at the Turtle Island Neighbourhood Centre field on Saturday and Central Park on Sunday.
Chester Knight will anchor the Turtle Island Block Party on June 28. The day will include facepainting and games hosted by the City of Winnipeg staff at the Turtle Island Neighbourhood Centre, an Indigenous Marketplace featuring 19 artisans, a video game truck, the SnapFox Photobooth, a free BBQ service, and a raffle draw at the end.
The Central Park Block Party is set for June 29 and country singer Jade Turner will headline the concert alongside the Norman Chief Memorial Dancers. The Indigenous marketplace, SnapFox Photobooth, free BBQ service, and raffle draw will follow us to Central Park but we'll also offer free hair braiding by Tashina Martin in one of our pop-up tents.
The forest fires in Manitoba have displaced a lot of Indigenous families and we encourage people who are stranded in Winnipeg to join us for each day of the festival. Please reach out to [email protected] if you're able to provide bus transportation between evacuation centres and our festival sites for families who have been evacuated to Winnipeg.
Opening Night
Thursday, June 26
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location: West End Cultural Centre, 586 Ellice Avenue
In collaboration with the Indigenous Music Development Program
Helper: Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries
Tickets: $20, all ages
Click here to purchase tickets on eventbrite
Everyone welcome
Click here to read the venue accessibility statement
Concert schedule:
6:00 pm: Doors open
7:00 pm: Kristen McKay
8:00 pm: Ernest Monias
sākihiwē festival stage at Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre's 40th anniversary celebration
Friday, June 27
12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Location: On the street at 445 King Street
In collaboration with the Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre
Free concert, free BBQ lunch, BINGO (first 100 players), kids’ games, a photo booth, and even a petting zoo
Bring a chair
Everyone welcome
Concert schedule:
12:00 pm: Dance Party with DJ Nugget
1:00 pm: Community karaoke
2:00 pm: Gurlz Gurlz Gurlz
3:00 pm: Ivan Flett Memorial Dancers
* Entertainment by DJ Nugget in between performances
sākihiwē festival welcome with Melissa St. Goodard
Friday, June 27
12:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Location: Arrivals at the Winnipeg Richardson International Airport
In collaboration with the Winnipeg Airport Authority
Free performances by Melissa St. Goddard at 12:00 pm, 1:00 pm, and 2:00 pm
Everyone welcome
Turtle Island Block Party
Saturday, June 28
2:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location: Turtle Island Neighbourhood Centre, near 510 King Street
Partners: Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre, the City of Winnipeg team at the Turtle Island Neighbourhood Centre
Helper: Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries
Free concert, free BBQ at 5:00 pm, free prize draw at 8:45 pm
Indigenous Marketplace, 2:00 pm - 8:00 pm
The SnapFox Photo Booth (free printed photos), 2:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Video Game Truck, 2:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Peacekeeping by CommUNITY204 Inc.
Bring a chair
Everyone welcome
Click here to read the venue accessibility statement
Concert schedule:
2:00 pm: Powwow demonstration with Anishinaabe Voice, Singing Wolf, and invited dancers from Ma Mawi's Powwow Club
4:00 pm: Darla Daniels & Melissa St. Goddard
5:00 pm: NIYA & RayTheNihilist
6:00 pm: Angela Amarualik & Juurini
7:00 pm: Highway 373
8:00 pm: Chester Knight
Indigenous Marketplace artisans: By Niizhode, From Turtle Island, Alissa Hildebrand, O'Meara Roots, Deadly Creeations, Autumn dawn beads, Traditions Winnipeg, Black Wolf Dog Designs, Ironstar Co, Beader Believe it, Fox n' Fuddle, The Garden of Beadn', No Roots No Wings, ClanWear OgeeCree-ations, North Thunderbird, La Vaalii Rivyeer Roozh, Indigify, Chevz Threadz
Central Park Block Party
Sunday, June 29
2:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location: Central Park, 366 Qu'Appelle Avenue,
Partners: Spence Neighbourhood Association, West End BIZ
Helper: Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries
Free concert, free BBQ at 5:00 pm, free prize draw at 8:45 pm
Indigenous Marketplace, 2:00 pm - 8:00 pm
The SnapFox Photo Booth (free printed photos), 2:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Hair braiding (16-and-under only), 2:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Peacekeeping by CommUNITY204 Inc.
Bring a chair
Everyone welcome
Click here to read the venue accessibility statement
Concert schedule:
2:00 pm: RayTheNihilist & Stun
3:00 pm: NIYA & Tyrell Bird
4:00 pm: Juurini & Mitchell Makoons
5:00 pm: Darla Daniels & Angela Amarualik
6:00 pm: The Wrigley Brothers
7:00 pm: Jade Turner
8:00 pm: Norman Chief Memorial Dancers
Indigenous Marketplace artisans: By Niizhode, From Turtle Island, Alissa Hildebrand, O'Meara Roots, Deadly Creeations, Autumn dawn beads, Traditions Winnipeg, Black Wolf Dog Designs, Ironstar Co, Beader Believe it, Fox n' Fuddle, The Garden of Beadn', No Roots No Wings, ClanWear OgeeCree-ations, North Thunderbird, La Vaalii Rivyeer Roozh, Indigify, Thunderbird Threads by Jazmin
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Big thank you to our festival helper Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries along with festival champions Manitoba Music, the Indigenous Music Development Program, Manitoba Film and Music, the West End BIZ, Assiniboine Credit Union, and the City of Winnipeg.
The sākihiwē festival is made possible by partnerships with the Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre and the Spence Neighbourhood Association.
We acknowledge the Government of Canada, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Manitoba Arts Council, and the Winnipeg Arts Council for their financial support of the sākihiwē festival.
