This September 17-18, Buckroe Beach Park will echo with the sounds of tribal rhythms at Thunder on the Bay American Indian Festival, a 2010 Signature Event taking place during Hampton’s 400th Anniversary. The intertribal pow-wow, showcasing native dancers and drummers from across the United States and Canada, will feature live music, exhibits, arts and crafts vendors, food, and more. The fun kicks-off on Friday with a free musical performance by NAMMY (Native American Music Award) award-winning flautist Jeff Ball and his band. A native of the Greater Washington, DC area, Ball is a self-taught musician who purchased his first flute at a pow-wow in the early 1990’s. The show takes place 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at the Buckroe Beach Stage, immediately followed by a fireworks display over the Chesapeake Bay at 9:15 p.m. Saturday’s activities begin at 11:00 a.m. with the Grand Entry (a procession of honor flags and dancers) scheduled for noon. During the entry, veteran spectators will be recognized during the Veterans Honor Dance. Honoring veterans is customary at pow-wows across the country, with American Indians embracing their fellow soldiers as brothers and sisters, uniting in one as defenders of this nation. Following the Grand Entry, various styles of native dancing will be showcased. Waya Dimalanta, a world renowned hoop and fancy dancer, will make a very special appearance. Dimalanta is sure to entertain the crowd with his spectacular moves. Attendees will not want to miss the Archeological Society of Virginia’s (ASV) Mobile Learning Center. The display produces a timeline from 9,000 BC to 1,000 AD using only Indian artifacts such as arrows, spear points, celts, drills, and stone knives. The center also showcases a “touch and feel” exhibit, in addition tabletop exhibits such as hammer stones, axes, and mortars and pestles. Chief Walt “Red Hawk” Brown will be present at the center to tell the history of the Cheroenhaka (Nottoway) and teach words from the Iroquoian language. The Archeological Society of Virginia will also help identify Indian points from Virginia, but will not appraise the artifacts. Other Thunder on the Bay American Indian Festival highlights include over 15 arts and crafts vendors; Native American cuisine for purchase, including fry bread, Indian Tacos, and Buffalo Stew; and drum music by Mystic River, Stoney Creek, Southern Suns, Red Earth, and more. No alcohol will be sold or allowed at the event. While lawn chairs and blankets are encouraged, no pets are permitted. Performers for Thunder on the Bay American Indian Festival include: Master of Ceremonies- Marvin Burnette (Rosebud Lakota Tribe) Head Male- Chris Fortune (Rappahannock Tribe) Head Female- Anna Old Elk (Crow-Assiniboine Tribes) Arena Director- Clark Stewart (Chickahominy Tribe) Host Drum- Mystic River **NAMMY nominee** Guest Drums- Stoney Creek, Southern Suns, and Red Earth Thunder on the Bay American Indian Festival Schedule: Friday, September 17 --Jeff Ball, NAMMY award-winning flautist 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. --Fireworks 9:15 p.m. Saturday, September 18 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. (Grand Entry at noon) Buckroe Beach Park North First Street Hampton, VA 23664 FREE ADMISSION FREE PARKING (Additional Parking at Satellite Lots and on Mallory Street) 757/726-5437 For more information on Thunder on the Bay American Indian Festival, call 757/726-5437 or check out www.hampton400.com. Hampton, Virginia, the oldest continuous English speaking settlement in North America, celebrates four centuries of history in 2010. We invite you to “Explore Old Worlds, New Worlds, Our World.” The Explore Hampton 2010 committee consists of Hampton citizens and representatives of businesses, churches, neighborhoods, Hampton University and the City of Hampton. For information on upcoming Explore Hampton initiatives, visit www. hampton400. Partially bordered by the Hampton Roads harbor and Chesapeake Bay, Hampton, with the 344,000 sq. ft. Hampton Roads Convention Center, is located in the center of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. Hampton is the site of America's first continuous English-speaking settlement and is home to such visitor attractions as the Virginia Air & Space Center and Riverside IMAX ® Theater, Hampton Maritime Center, Hampton History Museum, harbor tours and cruises, Hampton University Museum, Fort Monroe, award-winning Hampton Coliseum, The American Theatre, among others. ###