National Indigenous Peoples Day a huge hit despite rain

By Lethbridge Herald on June 24, 2025.

Joe Manio
Lethbridge Herald
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Despite torrential rains which cancelled or postponed multiple outdoor events during the Summer Solstice Saturday, organizers of the second National Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration weren’t going to let inclement weather rain or their parade, relocating the celebration at the last minute from the original venue at Galt Gardens to the Agri-food Hub and Trade Centre.

“A couple of days ago we asked, ‘What do we do? Cancel? Postpone? Delay?’ And I really did not want to do that, because today is really our day to celebrate,” says  Lethbridge Indigenous Relations Specialist Echo Nowak, who organized the event. “We are so grateful that the Lethbridge Exhibition had space for us. They welcomed us with open arms and said ‘whatever needs to be done do it’ to keep the event going”

The live Bands, performers, dancers, indigenous village, artisan market and all other exhibitors were all moved indoors, safe from the wind and rain. 

“It’s really about celebrating today. There are many indigenous events, but it’s always focused on the wrongfulness or the trauma that has happened to indigenous people, and that is very important. We have Reconciliation Day but that is shared with the non-Indigenous community about how we come together. But today is really about us and showcasing the vibrancy and richness of our culture.”

Many Lethbridge organizations which provide social support to the community were there, including the Interfaith Food Bank, which provided complimentary authentic Indigenous fare for the event. 

“We planned for 500 and we’re giving out traditional Indigenous dishes,” said food bank spokesperson Taylor Doyle. “We’re giving bison soup, some bannock and some saskatoon berry muffins. We even brought elders into the food bank to bless the hands that prepared the meals. Reconciliation is very important to Interfaith Food Bank. We take our relationship with our Indigenous partners very seriously. So we were very excited when the City of Lethbridge asked us to be a part of this celebration for the second year consecutively.”

The Lethbridge Sports Council provided a Lacrosse demonstration during the early hours of the festival. Lacrosse was Indigenous peoples in North America and is designated as Canada’s national summer sport. 

While it has evolved significantly, its origins trace back to traditional Indigenous games like Baggataway or Tewaarathon, played for spiritual, ceremonial, and diplomatic purposes.European settlers adopted and adapted the game, leading to its modern form, and in 1994, Canada officially recognized lacrosse as its national summer sport.

“The importance of Lacrosse is the purpose of the game,” said LSC board member Chad Chief Moon. “When you play the game, you entertain the creator. And when you entertain the creator, the Creator blesses you in so many ways, and I feel like that’s part of the indigenous way. Everything is about the Creator. Everything is about the land. Without the traditional stick, you don’t have the game of lacrosse which was gifted to us by the Creator.”

Throughout the day, city officials and members of various City departments stopped by the celebration. The Lethbridge Police Service (LPS) had a tent and table set up near the centre of the event with the chief of police meeting and greeting members of the community.

“Anytime you get the community together to celebrate our Indigenous peoples, the culture, traditions, history…it’s always amazing,” said LPS Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh, on the importance of his department having a tent there. “Police are the public and the public are the police. We are members of this community. When we don’t have the uniform on we are citizens of this city.”