The annual San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Pow Wow will be held at the Cal State San Bernardino athletic fields from today, Friday, Sept. 16, through Sunday, Sept. 18, featuring Southern California traditional bird singers and dancers, as well as North American and Canadian dancers and drum singing groups along with artisans representing Indian tribal nations from all across North America and Canada.

The three-day celebration, which is free to the public, will also feature contestants competing in the Native American dancing and singing competitions as San Manuel is proud to present more than $250,000 in cash prizes.

The Pow Wow will start today, Friday, Sept. 16, 5 p.m.-midnight with an elder blessing the grounds and offering a prayer for good spirit and honoring Native People carrying on in tribal customs and traditions, followed by bird singing and dancing.

On Saturday, Sept. 17, 11 a.m.-midnight, two grand entries highlight Saturday’s schedule – one in the afternoon; the other in the evening. Exhibitions of gourd singing and dancing precede local Southern California Tribal bird singers and dancers opening the afternoon session. Bird singing and dancing will also take place to open the evening’s grand entry. Both grand entries are followed by more dancing (contest, exhibition and intertribal).

Sunday, Sept. 18, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., features one grand entry in the afternoon, which again will exhibit the Southern California bird singers and dancers to open the session. Then a climactic round of contest dancing as the last opportunity for all of the competitors to impress the judges. Once completed, the judges’ votes are tabulated, the winners announced, and prizes awarded. A formal, spiritual closing ceremony marks the official end of the Pow Wow.

For more information visit the San Manuel Pow Wow website.