Canada to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day with full slate of events

National Indigenous Peoples Day takes place on Friday, to recognize and celebrate the culture, history and resilience of Inuit, First Nations and Métis people across Canada.

Events to celebrate the day are scheduled across the country including barbecues, live performances, arts and crafts workshops, free museum admissions and other happenings.

Here’s what is going on in Iqaluit, Ottawa, Montreal and Winnipeg.

Iqaluit

The City of Iqaluit is inviting people out to a series of events happening throughout the day on Friday.

An elders luncheon is scheduled from noon to 1 p.m. at the Elders Qammaq as well as a concert and barbecue at the Summer Square with the fire department. The Elders Qammaq will be running an elders bingo as well from 1 p.m. until 2 p.m.

There will be free turf at the Arctic Winter Games arena from 2:30 p.m. until 5 p.m. Afterward, the Anaitok arena will host a free skate from 5:30 p.m. until 8 pm.

Additionally, Arctic Co-Op will be hosting events in Iqaluit, Coral Harbour, Rankin Inlet and Arctic Bay.

Ottawa

Tungasuvvingat Inuit plans to host a celebration event from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Annie Pootoogook Park. All are welcome at the festivities, which include a barbecue, games, prizes, an elders tent and children’s activities. There will be throat singing, Inuktitut music and dancing, country food, as well as an arts and crafts session.

Additionally, the Summer Solstice Festival will host a series of events at Mādahòkì Farm in Nepean. Festivities will include live performances, craft workshops, a family fun zone, storytelling, and a powwow.

Also in Ottawa, the nearly 100-year-old building at 100 Wellington St., across from Parliament Hill, will open Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Métis National Council announced Thursday.

ITK will host throat singing, Inuit games demonstrations and give people the opportunity to have their names written in Inuktitut syllabics.

The ground floor of the building — which was constructed in 1932 and until 1999 served as the U.S. Embassy — houses a public exhibit showing Inuit, First Nations and Métis culture, governance and way of living.

Montreal

The POP Montreal music festival is hosting a free concert at Cabot Square. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. and the show is slated to begin at 3 p.m. Featured performers include the Beatrice Deer Band, Aysanabee and the Sinquah Family Hoop Dancers.

The Montreal Fine Arts Museum will be offering free admission to its collections and exhibits for everyone from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Additionally, a civic ceremony is scheduled to be held near the McCord Steward Museum in Montreal. The ceremony is set to include a bonfire and a tobacco ceremony with Mohawk elders, beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Winnipeg 

The Winnipeg Art Gallery plans to host a full day of activities Friday.

The morning festivities will include a free event titled Hey Cuzzin! at the Broadway Neighbourhood Centre from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m.

In the afternoon and evening, there will be two drop-in tours available at the gallery — a Truth and Reconciliation Through Art tour at 2 p.m. and Indigenous Storytelling Through Art tour at 6 p.m.

A live drag performance is also scheduled for the Murial Richardson Auditorium from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m.

The day is set to conclude with the third annual Grippin Sage event, a rooftop concert featuring performances by DJ Corvo, The Captain, Boogey the Beat, and Zuki from 7 p.m. until 11 p.m.

More information on events throughout the country can be found on the Government of Canada’s website here.