Tennessee – Red Clay State Historic Park will host the Cherokee Cultural Celebration on Saturday and Sunday, August 9–10, offering traditional dancing, demonstrations, craft vendors, and food vendors from federally recognized Cherokee tribes. The public is invited to attend from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with admission set at $5 per vehicle.
The event will feature participation from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the Cherokee Nation, with the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians also expected to attend. All vendors and demonstrators are citizens of the tribes, and all crafts for sale will be handmade.
On Saturday, HappiNest Raptor Rehabilitation will release a rehabilitated hawk near the Council House as part of the celebration’s activities.
Red Clay State Historic Park was the last seat of the Cherokee national government before the 1838 enforcement of the Indian Removal Act forced most Cherokee people in the region to move west. The park is also home to the Eternal Flame, a memorial honoring those who suffered and were lost during the Trail of Tears.
Park Manager Erin Medley said the cultural celebration supports the park’s interpretive mission by offering visitors the opportunity to learn Cherokee history and culture directly from Cherokee people.
In addition to the celebration, visitors can explore Blue Hole Spring, a historic natural water source used during council meetings, as well as the James F. Corn Interpretive Facility, which contains exhibits on 19th-century Cherokee history, Cherokee art, and the Trail of Tears. The facility also includes a video theater, gift shop, small library, and a new artificial intelligence avatar interactive exhibit.