The 95th annual Southern Ute Tribal Fair has started and continues through Sunday. All are welcome to watch the contest pow wow and check out the pow wow vendors, look at tribal member fair exhibits, ride the zip-line, and watch fair competitions and the Saturday morning parade in downtown Ignacio. There will be fireworks Saturday at dusk in the Sky Ute Fairgrounds infield.
The parade, including a kiddie parade, starts at 10 a.m. Saturday and goes from Ignacio High School south on Goddard Avenue through downtown. Many in the parade are decked out in their pow wow finery.
The pow wow at the Sky Ute Fairgrounds indoor arena starts Friday at 5 p.m. with the Gourd Dance for military veterans, then the Grand Entry at 7 p.m. On Saturday there is the Gourd Dance at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. followed by the Grand Entries at 1 and 7 p.m. On Sunday the Gourd Dance is at 10 a.m. with the Grand Entry at noon.
Zip-line rides over the fairgrounds infield will be available Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Fair exhibits include livestock at Sky Ute Fairgrounds, and baking and other exhibits at the Southern Ute Cultural Center and Museum. They are open today from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m.
There is a full schedule of games and contests at the fairgrounds, SunUte Community Center, Patrick Silva Softball Field, the multi-purpose facility and Ute Park fields.
On Friday they include a softball challenge, corn bag toss, disc golf and youth games.
Saturday competitions include the 3-D archery shoot, Eldred Vigil Memorial Walk/Run, 4x4 coed volleyball, horseshoe tourney, Sam Burch Memorial trophy, stick game, jalapeno eating, all Native tug of war, and a youth concert. Fireworks will take place at 8:30 p.m.
Sunday activities include a pancake breakfast at the fairgrounds, shinny game, tipi raising contest, red and green chili and salsa contest, frybread contest, greased pole climb, baby contest, duck race, and pow wow drummer jalapeno eating contest.
Details of event times and locations are in the Southern Ute Drum or online at http://www.southernute-nsn.gov/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/2015-SU-Tribal-Fair-Premium-Book-Small.pdf.
