sākihiwē festival Launches Online Festival, Common Ground Concerts, and Mentors Conference

After sharing two months of weekly online songwriter concerts, sākihiwē festival will continue its summer programming with a series of community-focused online concerts and a three-day online festival featuring Indigenous-identifying performers from many nations. All the events will stream online for free from the festival's YouTube channel and Facebook page.

The online festival will run August 28-30 and feature performances from Manitoba-based acts Burnstick, Desiree Dorion, Jade Turner, Rey, Sebastian Gaskin, Spence Tradition, and The O.B. alongside Adrian Sutherland, Alexis Lynn, Aspects & Illyah Rose, Damase Elis, Drezus, Eastern Owl, Elisapie, Kym Gouchie, Melody McKiver, PIQSIQ, and The Northwest Kid. 

The festival is partnering with Winnipeg Folk Festival, West End Cultural Centre, IRCOM, and Central Neighbourhoods Winnipeg for Common Ground, a series of online concerts celebrating Indigenous-Newcomer relations. Shanley Spence and Boogey The Beat and Dr. Henry Band will be performing on August 12. Kelly Bado and Ed Riley will be performing on August 19. 

Music business mentorship is also in the programming plans for the festival, which is launching a new conference to help Indigenous artists and managers connect with knowledgeable colleagues who can help them strengthen their release plans for Australia, Aotearoa (New Zealand), and Canada and build relationships with the pow wow community. Registration is free and will run via Zoom, August 24-30. Find out more

sākihiwē festival will also continue the online Wahkohtowin Families workshops on Wednesdays at 11AM throughout August, hosted by Ila Barker and presented by the Wahkohtowin Strengthening Families Program. Upcoming workshops feature Powwow Fit with Shanley Spence (Aug 12), Métis Dance with Ivan Flett Memorial Dancers (Aug 19), and Hand Drum Songs with Fawn Wood (Aug 26). Read more

This is event is an MB Live partnered event. For more info about MB Live, visit manitobamusic.com/mblive. For more info about partnership, please visit manitobamusic.com/partnerships.