"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - Arts and Crafts Vendors Sought

***"Beading Demonstration"***

Tahlequah, OK - More than one hundred arts and crafts vendors will showcase their talents during the 57th Annual Cherokee National Holiday in September. Booth space for the event is still available.More than one hundred arts and crafts vendors will showcase their talents during the 57th Annual Cherokee National Holiday in September. Booth space for the event is still available.

The 57th annual Cherokee National Holiday is the largest venue in Oklahoma in which to find genuine Cherokee arts and crafts. Visitors to the festival, which is held over Labor Day weekend in the Tahlequah area, can expect to find more than one hundred booths brimming with authentic and traditional work by some of the area’s best artisans and craftspeople.

Booth spaces are still available at two locations, the Cherokee Nation tribal complex west of Tahlequah and downtown at the Cherokee Nation Courthouse Square, but are quickly filling said event organizers.

“The holiday weekend is a great place to showcase your work,” said Jolinda LaRue, event coordinator for the arts and crafts located at the Cherokee Nation tribal complex. “I would encourage vendors to take advantage of this opportunity. Visitors come from all over to take part in the festivities and the holiday is a great place to build a client base for artists.”

Arts and craft vendors who set up booths west of the complex will be open to the public on Friday, September 4, from 4:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday, September 5, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday, September 6, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Vendors set up at the Cherokee Nation Courthouse square will be open for business on Saturday, September 6 only, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Available booth space at both locations is limited. The cost for a booth will vary by location. Please contact the coordinator at the desired location for complete details and pricing schedule. Deadline to reserve booth space is August 15.

For information about booths located west of the Cherokee Nation complex, please contact Jolinda LaRue, phone: 918-207-3870 or send an e-mail. For information about booth space at the Cherokee Nation Courthouse Square in downtown Tahlequah, contact Rhonda Cochran, phone: 918-822-2529 or send an e-mail.

The Cherokee National Holiday has been held since 1953 to commemorate the anniversary of the signing of the 1839 Cherokee Constitution. With its exciting array of entertainment, cultural and athletic events, it has grown into one of the largest festivals in Oklahoma, attracting more than 90,000 visitors from across the world. This year’s theme is E-loh-i nu-s-di-da-nv de-ga-de-la-qua-s-ge-s-di (“I learn from all that I observe”), reflecting the Cherokee Nation’s long held belief in education as a means to uplift individuals and their communities. The 57th Annual Cherokee National Holiday is a smoke-free event.