Menominee Nation's 57th Annual Contest Powwow Set for August 1-3

The 57th Annual Menominee Nation Contest Powwow drew drummers, singers, and dancers from across the region and Canada to Keshena, Wisconsin last August 1–3, marking another chapter in one of the reservation's longest-running and most significant cultural traditions.

The three-day event brought together competitors and spectators at the Woodland Bowl in the heart of Keshena for a weekend of dancing, singing, family, food, and community. Dance competition was structured across age categories ranging from Golden Age (55 and older) through Juniors (ages 6–12), with prize money attached to placements in each division.

The competition floor featured traditional, fancy, and grass dances for male competitors, alongside traditional, fancy, and jingle categories for women, with special contests woven throughout the weekend to showcase Menominee cultural heritage. The singing contest carried some of the event's largest prizes, with first place paying $10,000 and awards extending down through tenth place at $1,000.

Emcees Joey Awonohopay and John Teller Jr. led the proceedings, with Gary Besaw serving as arena director. Invited drum groups included Motown, Bad River, Blackstone, and Battle Nation.

PBS Wisconsin and Nebraska Public Media also had a presence at the 57th annual event, where they introduced visitors to "Powwow Bound: A Menominee Homecoming," a new 3D narrative-driven adventure game. The game follows DJ, a teenage girl reconnecting with her Menominee roots during her family's return to the reservation for the annual contest powwow.

The Woodland Bowl venue, located on Fairgrounds Road in Keshena, served as the setting for the competition and celebration. The powwow's sponsor roster reflected wide community investment, including Menominee Casino Resort, Menominee Tribal Clinic, Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, Alliant Energy, Charlie's County Market, and the MITW Community Resource Center, among more than 20 total sponsors. Other supporters included Bodwe Professional Services Group, Wolf River Development Company, Oneida Tourism, and Radtke Reuter Electric, underscoring the breadth of local and regional organizations backing the annual event.

The Woodland Bowl has hosted the Menominee Nation Contest Powwow for decades, cementing Keshena's identity as a center of tribal cultural life in Wisconsin. The 2025 edition, the 57th in the series, continued a tradition that draws participation well beyond county lines, with competitors and visitors making the trip from neighboring states and Canada to take part.