Festival Fever: Experience the Magic of 3 Can’t-Miss Seminole Events!

Welcome to 2025! It is a brand-new year, and you know what that means… Festival Season is just around the corner! This week, join us for an Events Round-up, with everything you need to know about these exciting events. Want more information about the individual events? Don’t worry! Each event will also get its very own blog post, full of special behind the scenes information, details about performers, special guests, and event line-ups. You can find the full blog release schedule below, so don’t forget to visit each week to get the inside scoop on these exciting events.

For all three events, we encourage you to wear supportive walking shoes, and bring water and sunscreen. Be prepared for some long, fun, and exciting days experiencing Seminole and Indigenous culture, art, music, and more!

 

January 20, 2025 – Seminole Tribal Fair & Pow Wow Blog Post

January 27, 2025 – Native Reel Cinema Fest Spotlight Post

February 3, 2025 – Indigenous Arts and Music Festival Blog Post

February 10, 2025 – Brighton Field Day Blog Post

 

Seminole Tribal Fair & Pow Wow

How to Get There and Where to Park

The Seminole Tribe of Florida will host their annual celebration of Native music, culture, dance, and art on January 31^st through February 2^nd, 2025 in Hollywood, FL at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino Hollywood. The Hard Rock Hollywood, known for its iconic Guitar Hotel, is located at 1 Seminole Way, Davie, FL 33314, approximately 35 minutes north of Miami. This is a free, family-friendly event, and there is free on-site parking.

 

Directions from Miami:

1. Take I-95 North.
2. Exit at FL-848W/Stirling Road (Exit 22).
3. Follow FL-848W westbound to Seminole Way.
4. Turn right onto Seminole Way to reach the destination.

 

Directions from Fort Lauderdale:

1. Merge onto I-595 West from the I-95/Florida’s Turnpike ramp.
2. Continue for approximately 4 miles.
3. Take Exit 8 toward FL-7/US-441.
4. Turn left (south) onto FL-7 S/US-441 S.
5. Turn right onto Seminole Way to arrive at the casino.

 

Pow Wow Events and Dance Specials

This year’s Seminole Tribal Fair & Pow Wow will feature pow wow dancing on all three days Grand Entry times for both Friday and Saturday will be 12:00 pm and 7:00 pm. In addition to the regular competition dancing, there will be three dance specials. The Skye family and Six Nations Community are sponsoring the Dylan Issacs Smoke Dance Special. Wanda Bowers and Family are sponsoring the Missing Murdered Indigenous Women’s Red Jingle Dress Special, which features prize money for 1^st through 4^th place. Eugenia Osceola is sponsoring the Spike Draper Men’s Fancy Dance Special.

The Drum competition will also be held both days, with cash prizes going to groups from 1^st through 7^th place.  On Sunday, February 2^nd, there will be a hoop dance presentation at 12:30 followed by a pow wow exhibition dance from 1pm-2pm.

As always, we encourage you to be respectful visitors and observers to all pow wow events. They are a whirlwind, and an exciting, beautiful, vibrant way to experience many different Indigenous cultures and traditions. This pow wow is open to the greater community but remember to be respectful of the participants above all. Drugs and alcohol are not permitted at the event.

 

The Frontmen

In addition to the Pow wow events, a free concert will be held on February 2^nd, 2025. The Frontmen, comprised of three country music powerhouses, will perform for pow wow attendees. All three members of the Frontmen were former lead singers of other hit country acts. Larry Stewart gained his fame as a member of Restless Heart, as well as his own solo career. Richie McDonald was the former lead singer of Lonestar, well known for their hit “My Front Porch Looking In.” The final member of the Frontmen, Tim Rushlow, is formerly of the band Little Texas. Their first studio album, The Frontmen, was released just last year in March 2024.

 

Native Reel Cinema Festival

Back for another exciting year, the Native Reel Cinema Festival will hold their annual festival during Tribal Fair January 31^st and February 1^st. NRCF celebrates and recognizes the art and culture of Indigenous actors, filmmakers, and musicians. This year’s festival includes exclusive film screenings, as well as a celebrity Meet & Greet and Q & A on Saturday, February 1^st. Celebrity guests include Martin Sensmeier (Tlingit & Haida), and Eugene Brave Rock (Blackfoot), and Wes Studi (Cherokee Nation). Guests and the full festival line-up are still being announced, so stay turned for updates and check back in during our NRCF Exclusive post going live on January 27^th!

 

Indigenous Arts & Music Festival

How to Get There and Where to Park

This year’s Indigenous Arts and Music Festival will again be held on the Big Cypress Reservation, from February 6^th through February 8^th, 2025. This marks the 3^rd annual festival and promises to be just as exciting and event packed as the first two years! Featuring music, art, vendors, and food, this family event includes free admission. Featured musicians are still being announced, so stay tuned and check back in on February 3^rd for our full sneak peek at this amazing event. As always, remember that this is a family-friendly and alcohol and drug free event. Below, you can find driving directions to the Junior Cypress Rodeo Arena at 500 Rodeo Drive, Clewiston, FL 33440.

 

From the West

1. From Immokalee, Turn Left on to Country Rd. 846 and continue for approximately 20 miles.
2. You will eventually come to a T intersection. Turn right onto County Rd. 833 S. Continue for another 18 miles.
3. Continue through the reservation, passing the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum on the right. You will pass through almost the entire town, including the Afachkee School and Big Cypress Landing.
4. After you pass Big Cypress Landing (Sadie’s) on the right, the rodeo grounds will be on the right. Follow directions for parking.

 

From the East

1. From Weston, merge on to I-75 N. Follow I-75 N for approximately 27 miles.
2. Take exit 49 for Snake Road. You can take this opportunity to fill your gas tank at the Miccosukee Service Plaza.
3. Follow Snake Rd for approximately 16 miles. The rodeo grounds will be on your left. Follow directions for parking.

 

Musical Headliners

So far, this year’s Indigenous Arts and Music Festival has two powerhouse musical headliners that have been announced. John Anderson, longtime friend of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, will play on Thursday, February 6^th at 6:00p. Anderson’s hit “Seminole Wind” is a beloved classic country hit, arguably the most mainstream song to carry a Seminole influence. Indigenous, a blues rock group, will perform on Friday, February 7^th at 5:30 pm. The group is comprised of Mato Nanji (Ihanktonwan Nation) on lead vocals, son Evan Nanji on guitar, Justin Cournoyer on bass, and John Fairchild on drums. Originally formed in the 1990s, Indigenous takes inspiration from groups such as Jimi Hendrix, Santana, and Stevie Ray Vaughn.

 

Brighton Field Day Festival & Rodeo

How to Get There and Where to Park

This year’s Brighton Field Day Festival & Rodeo event will be held February 13^th-16^th at the Fred Smith Rodeo Arena, 17400 Sports Complex Rd, Okeechobe, FL 34974. The Rodeo Arena is located on the Brighton Seminole Reservation.

From Lake Placid

1. Take Lake Placid Blvd to FL-70 E. Turn left onto FL-70 E and continue for approximately 20 miles.
2. Turn Right onto SW County Rd. 721, and continue onto Reservation Rd. NE
3. Turn right onto Harney Pond Rd, then right again on to Sports Complex Rd.

 

From LaBelle

1. Drive North on FL-29 N to leave La Belle.
2. Turn right and take FL-78 E towards Reservation Rd.
3. Follow Reservation Rd and turn right on Harney Pond Rd, then right again on Sports Complex Rd.

 

From Okeechobee

1. Follow FL-70 W To SW County Rd. 721 for about 17 miles.
2. Turn Left on to SW County Rd. 721. Continue for about 2 miles, and continue on Reservation Rd.
3. Follow Reservation Rd and turn right on Harney Pond Rd, then right again on Sports Complex Rd.

 

The Festival & Rodeo

Unlike the first two events, the Brighton Field Day Festival and Rodeo charges admission for each of the event days. Thursday, February 13^th will be $15 admission. Friday, February 14^th and Sunday, February 16^th will be $30 admission. Saturday, February 15^th will be $50 admission. This includes the price of the concert ticket for Saturday’s entertainment. There is a $10 day pass discount for seniors older than 60, veterans, and first responders. Children under 5 are free.

Throughout the weekend, visitors can enjoy Pro Rodeo Shows, Xtreme Bulls, snake shows, alligator wrestling, dancing, and Native arts and crafts. Brantley Gilbert, country music star, will headline Saturday’s concert at 7:00pm. His seventh studio album, Tattoos, was released just last September 2024. Will Mosely will be Gilbert’s opener. Mosely, former ‘American Idol’ alum, is a young rising country music star.

Looking for more info? We will be posting all the inside information about Brighton Field Day Festival & Rodeo on February 10^th, prior to the festival opening.

 

Author Bio

Originally from Washington state, Deanna Butler received her BA in Archaeological Sciences from the University of Washington in 2014. Deanna moved to Florida in 2016. Soon, she began working for the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Tribal Historic Preservation Office. Deanna was the THPO’s Archaeological Collections Assistant from 2017-2021. While at the THPO, Deanna worked to preserve, support, and process the Tribe’s archaeological collection. She often wrote the popular Artifact of the Month series and worked on many community and educational outreach programs. She lives in Lakeland, FL with her husband, two sons, and dog.