Red Clay State Historic Park will host the Cherokee Cultural Celebration on Saturday and Sunday, August 9-10, featuring demonstrations, traditional dancing, craft vendors, and food vendors from federally recognized Cherokee tribes.
The public is invited to the event scheduled 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The cost is $5 per vehicle.
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the Cherokee Nation will attend, and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians may also be present. Vendors and demonstrators are all citizens of the tribes, and all crafts at the celebration will be handmade by the vendors.
On Saturday, Alix Parks of HappiNest Raptor Rehabilitation will be releasing a rehabilitated hawk near the Council House.
Red Clay State Historic Park is the site of the last seat of the Cherokee national government before the 1838 enforcement of the Indian Removal Act of 1830 by the U.S. military. The law resulted in most of the Cherokee people in the area being forced to move west. The Trail of Tears began at every family’s doorstep, and at Red Clay Council grounds they learned they were going to lose their mountains, streams, and valleys forever. The Eternal Flame at Red Clay State Park is a memorial for the Cherokee people and those who were lost on the Trail of Tears.
“This program is significant to supporting Red Clay’s interpretive mission,” said Park Manager Erin Medley. “To learn Cherokee history and culture from the people themselves is an invaluable experience that we are proud to facilitate on the historic Red Clay Council Grounds.”
Red Clay State Park is home to Blue Hole Spring, a natural landmark used by the Cherokee for their water supply and cultural ceremonies during council meetings. The James F. Corn Interpretive Facility contains exhibits on the 19th Century Cherokee, the Trail of Tears, Cherokee art, a video theater, gift shop and small library. A new artificial intelligence avatar interactive exhibit is also featured. More information on the park is available at tnstateparks.com.