sākihiwē festival shares Indigenous Music and Culture in Winnipeg's Core and North End

Posted on June 10, 2025

The sākihiwē festival returns for a new season, sharing and celebrating Indigenous music and culture in Winnipeg's core and North End. Featuring 22 First Nation, Inuit, and Métis performers over four days, sākihiwē festival once again connects live music with Indigenous and newcomer communities through partnerships with Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre and the Spence Neighbourhood Association.

The festival kicks off June 26 with the Opening Night concert featuring music legend Ernest Monias along with Kristen McKay at the West End Cultural Centre. The festival with donate 100 tickets to families from northern First Nations who have been forced to evacuate their homes because of the forest fires. The event is in collaboration with the Indigenous Music Development Program at Manitoba Music.

On June 27, the sākihiwē festival stage at Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre's 40th anniversary celebration will feature live music, community karaoke, free BBQ lunch, kids’ games, a photo booth, a petting zoo, and more. The festival will also welcome visitors to the Winnipeg Richardson International Airport with free performances by acclaimed fiddler Melissa St. Goddard during the afternoon.

The Turtle Island Block Party returns on June 28 for a free day of live music, BBQ, Indigenous Marketplace, video game truck, and more at the Turtle Island Neighbourhood Centre.The Central Park Block Party will continue the free live music performances---including award-winning singer/songwriter Jade Turner, blues rocker Mitchell Makoons, hip hop artist Stun, and more---and family fun on June 29. Scroll down to see the full schedule.

"We want Indigenous and newcomer families to be able to participate in our programming without risking their personal safety, family obligations, or their ability to make ends meet so we take our stages to different neighbourhoods each day," explains Festival Director Alan Greyeyes in a release. "But we also serve as a stepping stone for Indigenous artists and we're excited to welcome RayTheNihilist, Darla Daniels, Highway 373, NIYA, Tyrell Bird, Angela Amarualik, Juurini, Mitchell Makoons, and Singing Wolf to our festival for the first time this year."

The festival also aims to create a community space for the many Indigenous families displaced by forest fires in Manitoba. For anyone able to provide bus transportation between evacuation centres and the festival sites for families who have been evacuated to Winnipeg, please reach out to alan@sakihiwe.ca.

Read more about this year's events and performers, and be sure to listen to the festival's playlists on Spotify!

SCHEDULE

Opening Night

Thursday, June 26 / 6 - 9 PM
West End Cultural Centre, 586 Ellice Avenue, Winnipeg
In collaboration with the Indigenous Music Development Program
Helper: Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries
$20 / All Ages / Everyone welcome
Click here to purchase tickets on Eventbrite

Concert Schedule
6 PM Doors open
7 PM Kristen McKay
8 PM Ernest Monias

Click here to read the venue accessibility statement

sākihiwē festival stage at Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre's 40th anniversary celebration

Friday, June 27 / 12 - 4 PM
On the street at 445 King Street, Winnipeg
In collaboration with the Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre
Free concert, free BBQ lunch, BINGO (first 100 players), kids’ games, a photo booth, and even a petting zoo
Free / Bring a chair / Everyone welcome

Concert Schedule
12 PM Ma Mawi's Powwow Club
1 PM Community karaoke
2 PM Gurlz Gurlz Gurlz
3 PM Ivan Flett Memorial Dancers
* Entertainment by DJ Nugget in between performances

sākihiwē festival welcome with Melissa St. Goodard

Friday, June 27 / 12 PM, 1 PM, 2 PM
Arrivals at the Winnipeg Richardson International Airport
In collaboration with the Winnipeg Airport Authority
Free performances by Melissa St. Goddard
Everyone welcome

Turtle Island Block Party

Saturday, June 28 / 2 - 9 PM
Turtle Island Neighbourhood Centre, near 510 King Street, Winnipeg
Partners: Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre, the City of Winnipeg team at the Turtle Island Neighbourhood Centre
Helper: Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries
Free concert, free BBQ at 5 PM, free prize draw at 8:45 PM
Indigenous Marketplace, 2 - 8 PM
The SnapFox Photo Booth (free printed photos), 2 - 9 PM
Video Game Truck, 2 - 8 PM
Peacekeeping by CommUNITY204 Inc.
Free / Bring a chair / Everyone welcome
Click here to read the venue accessibility statement

Concert Schedule
2 PM Powwow demonstration with Anishinaabe Voice, Singing Wolf, and invited dancers from Ma Mawi's Powwow Club
4 PM Darla Daniels & Melissa St. Goddard
5 PM NIYA & RayTheNihilist
6 PM Angela Amarualik & Juurini
7 PM Highway 373
8 PM Chester Knight

Indigenous Marketplace artisans: By Niizhode, From Turtle Island, Alissa Hildebrand, O'Meara Roots, Deadly Creeations, Autumn dawn beads, Traditions Winnipeg, Black Wolf Dog Designs, Ironstar Co, Beader Believe it, Fox n' Fuddle, The Garden of Beadn', White Faced Wolf Studio, No Roots No Wings, ClanWear OgeeCree-ations, North Thunderbird, La Vaalii Rivyeer Roozh, Indigify

Central Park Block Party

Sunday, June 29 / 2 - 9 PM
Central Park, 366 Qu'Appelle Avenue, Winnipeg
Partners: Spence Neighbourhood Association, West End BIZ
Helper: Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries
Free concert, free BBQ at 5 PM, free prize draw at 8:45 PM
Indigenous Marketplace, 2 - 8 PM
The SnapFox Photo Booth (free printed photos), 2 - 9 PM
Hair braiding (16-and-under only), 3 - 7 PM
Peacekeeping by CommUNITY204 Inc.
Free / Bring a chair / Everyone welcome
Click here to read the venue accessibility statement

Concert Schedule
2 PM RayTheNihilist & Stun
3 PM NIYA & Tyrell Bird
4 PM Juurini & Mitchell Makoons
5 PM Darla Daniels & Angela Amarualik
6 PM The Wrigley Brothers
7 PM Jade Turner
8 PM Norman Chief Memorial Dancers

This 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.

SCHEDULE

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