July 4

Cherokee Nation’s W.W. Keeler Tribal Complex, health centers, and satellite offices will be closed in observance of Independence Day in the United States. Cherokee Nation W.W. Hastings Hospital emergency department and other emergency services will remain open.

Come out and enjoy the Cherokee Nation Community Fireworks Show at Cherokee Springs Plaza in Tahlequah. The fireworks will start at dusk. This is a free event for everyone. Cherokee Springs Plaza is located at 3377 Cherokee Springs Road.

July 5

First Friday Traditional Games: Have fun learning a new traditional Cherokee game to play while visiting the grounds of the Cherokee National History Museum in downtown Tahlequah from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free demonstrations of traditional games like chunkey, stickball, marbles, hatchet throwing and more are led by experts in the culture and history of these games. Learn more at VisitCherokeeNation. com.

July 9

Join Cherokee Nation Speaker Services for the first of 12 upcoming Cultural Wellness Gatherings from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. every Tuesday at the Marble City Community Center, 111 Main St., in Marble City. Enjoy a free meal, language lesson from a Cherokee Speaker, make a traditional Cherokee basket or a pair of stickball sticks with local artists, and learn more about Cherokee values with instructors Abraham Bearpaw and Amber Walker. This event is free and open to the public. Dinner will include a hogfry, frybread, brown beans and fried potatoes. These gatherings will take place every Tuesday for the next 12 weeks. For more information, call Amber Walker at 918316-8033 or the Durbin Feeling Language Center at 918-207-4900.

July 10

MaryBeth Timothy, a Cherokee artist and coowner of MoonHawk Art, leads a class from 10 a.m. to noon at the Cherokee Arts Center in downtown Tahlequah on the various techniques and strategies for engaging with online customers. Discover how to utilize tools such as Canva to create templates for ads and social media posts. Learn how to harness the power of social media to showcase your work and connect with customers and master outreach through livestreams and email platforms. These are just a few of the many useful skills MaryBeth will cover in this class. All are welcome to participate in this free class, but seats may fill up quickly. Sign up at https://form.jotform. com/241624021962147. This workshop series was made possible by the Cherokee Artist Recovery Act, which was signed into law by Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and Deputy Chief Bryan Warner in 2022.

July 11

Applications for the 2024-25 Miss Cherokee Leadership and Junior Miss Cherokee Leadership competitions are due today. To download the application, visit https://www.cherokee. org/all-services/education- services/youthleadership/. Applications are also available at the Cherokee First desk at the W.W. Keeler Tribal Complex in Tahlequah. The Miss Cherokee Leadership Competition and Junior Miss Cherokee Competition will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17, in Tahlequah. For more information on the Miss Cherokee and Jr. Miss Cherokee Leadership Competition, call Lisa Trice-Turtle at 918207-4991.

All fluent Cherokee speakers are invited to this free monthly luncheon held from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. every second Thursday of the month and hosted by the Cherokee Nation Language Department at the Durbin Feeling Language Center in Tahlequah. Gather for fellowship, a free lunch and door prizes. For more information, please call 918-207-4901 or email language@cherokee. org.

July 13

In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the inaugural Remember the Removal Bike Ride, the RTR Legacy Association is holding an event from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. to honor the 1984 riders and others who have contributed to the ride throughout the years. Doors open at 6 p.m. at the Chota Center in Tahlequah. There will be a photo booth, silent auction and live music during dinner. Tickets are $50 for general admission. Learn more about sponsorship packages at rtrla.org/gala. For more information, please contact Kayce O’Field at 918-718-9720 or Shadow Hardbarger at 918-774-5870.

July 15

The 3rd annual Sequoyah Archery Camp for fourth- through 12th-grade students will be held July 15 to 19 from 9 a.m. to noon in the old gym at Sequoyah High School. Cost per student is $75. Students will learn basic skills of archery. NASP-certified coaches will be present to teach whistle commands, proper techniques, and reinforce positive behaviors. Sequoyah student volunteer archers will be available for peer tutoring on compound and native traditional bows. Bullseye and 3D targets will be used from distances of 10 and 15 meters. Jessie Grayson will be a guest speaker on July 19. The camp will conclude with a tournament on July 20. For more information, contact Amy Etzkorn at 918-381-6414.

July 19

Applications to be a volunteer at the 72nd annual Cherokee National Holiday are due today. Cherokee National Holiday would not be possible without a team of volunteers who generously give their time and expertise across dozens of events. All volunteers receive a special edition volunteer T-shirt. Submit an application at https://thecherokeeholiday. com/resources/volunteer. For questions, please contact the Cherokee National Holiday team at 918.822.2427.

July 20

Cherokee Nation is hosting an at-large meeting for Cherokee citizens living in or near Denver. Be sure to join us from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds Pavilion, 15200 W. 6th Ave. Suite A, in Golden, Colo., for this exciting meeting with cultural presentations and demonstrations. Visit with Cherokee Nation leaders and enjoy a free lunch. Tribal Registration will be on site for photo IDs and citizenship applications. Registration will stop accepting applications for photo IDs 30 minutes before the end of the event. Education Services and Cherokee Vote will also be in attendance to assist citizens. For questions regarding the event, call 918-207-4963.

July 21

Cherokee Nation is hosting an at-large meeting for Cherokee citizens living in or near Albuquerque. Be sure to join us from noon to 4 p.m. at the Cibola High School Cafeteria, 1510 Ellison Drive NW, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for this exciting meeting with cultural presentations and demonstrations. Visit with Cherokee Nation leaders and enjoy a free lunch. Tribal Registration will be on site for photo IDs and citizenship applications. Registration will stop accepting applications for photo IDs 30 minutes before the end of the event. Education Services and Cherokee Vote will also be in attendance to assist citizens. For questions regarding the event, call 918-207-4963.

July 27

Stop by “Ours to Tell: Cherokee Children’s Stories” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Anna Mitchell Cultural & Welcome Center in Vinita for an exciting day with celebrated Cherokee storytellers, musicians and children’s authors. “Ours to Tell” will also host the world premiere of Traci Sorell’s newest book. After each performance, children can engage with fun, hands-on activities about the stories. Admission is free and all are welcome. Learn more at VisitCherokeeNation. com.

Cultural class: Learn how to make a traditional Cherokee turban with Seli Stewart from 10 a.m. to noon at the Cherokee National Prison Museum at 124 E. Choctaw St. in Tahlequah. Turbans, as Sequoyah wore, are practical and stylish. For this class, students will need to bring their own sewing machine, thread, bobbin and one yard of midweight or heavyweight cotton. Classes fill up quickly and will be capped at 15 people. This class is $25 per person. Register at https://shop.visitcherokeenation. com/collections/ cultural-classes/ products/07-27-2024turban-class.