Make plans to attend 2026 Eiteljorg Museum Indian Market & Festival
More than 100 American Indian, Alaska Native and First Nations artists are featured in the 34th annual Eiteljorg Museum Indian Market & Festival, June 27-28, 2026. One of the top arts and culture events in downtown Indianapolis each summer, the festival this year includes a mix of entertainers new to Indianapolis as well as returning favorites.
Native artists from across the U.S. and Canada who specialize in multiple mediums — jewelry, pottery, basketry, beadwork, carvings and innovative art — will sell their works from booths inside and outside the museum. Many past award-winning artists return this year, along with those making their first appearances at the market.
For event details, including advance tickets, participating artists, performers and the Native-owned food and beverage vendors, visit Eiteljorg.org/Indian-Market-and-Festival.
Entertainment is a big part of the festival, and this year brings a remarkable performance not seen before on the Eiteljorg stage. Turtle Island: From the Creation Story of the Haudenosaunee is an outdoor production, developed with Haudenosaunee artistic leadership, that fuses dance, aerial puppetry and community engagement. A multicolored, parade-sized tethered balloon, the Turtle, floats above stage as eight dancers from the Skywoman Dance Theater present a moving visual and musical representation of Haudenosaunee cosmology. The performance supports cultural heritage and shares it with a wider audience. The producers describe it this way: “Turtle Island invites audiences to witness the birth of the world atop the Turtle’s back — a story that resonates across cultures as a symbol of resilience and interconnectedness.”
Also, Indigenous Enterprise returns to Indian Market & Festival for its second year, bringing the high-energy performance style that has made the troupe an international sensation. Featuring champion powwow dancers from multiple tribes and nations, the group blends traditional dance styles with contemporary influences, including hip-hop, creating powerful, modern expressions of Indigenous cultures.
“Every year the Eiteljorg Indian Market & Festival invites people to experience the vibrancy and resilience of Native cultures as living, evolving traditions — not something stuck in the past. When visitors come, they’re directly supporting Native artists, hearing stories from Native voices, and engaging with traditions that have endured despite generations of challenges,” Eiteljorg Festivals Manager Conner Richberg (Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte) said.
Many of the artists enter their works into the market’s juried art competition. For works judged the best in several categories, artists receive ribbons and cash prizes awarded during the Eiteljorg Market Morning Breakfast on Saturday June 27, before the festival opens. The breakfast itself requires registration at Eiteljorg.org/market-morning-breakfast.
While browsing artists’ booths, shopping for Native art and enjoying onstage performances, marketgoers can enjoy art-making demonstrations in the museum’s studios, and meet two artists who have upcoming residencies at the Eiteljorg this fall. All ages can join in a scavenger hunt and try out temporary tattoos. Marketgoers can tour the museum’s exhibits, such as Cowboy Couture: The Fashion of Jerry Lee Atwood, which are included with admission.
“Beyond the incredible artwork, the festival also features performances, music, and Native-owned food and beverage, giving people a chance to truly immerse themselves in Native cultures in a communal and authentic way,” Richberg said. “At its core, this weekend isn’t about appropriation — it’s about appreciation, learning, and connection. It’s a celebration of Native resilience, creativity, and the cultures that continue to shape our communities today.”
Advance discount tickets to Indian Market & Festival are available at Eiteljorg.org/Indian-Market-and-Festival and are $20 for adults, or $30 for a two-day combo pass. For kids ages 5-7, advance tickets are $10; children ages 4 and under get in free. Tickets purchased at the gate on June 27-28 are $25 for adults and $12 for youth.
Museum members have free admission, as do American Indian, Alaska Native and First Nations members with tribal ID. Tickets obtained through the Access Pass program are $5. If visitors park in the White River State Park underground garage, the Eiteljorg can validate their parking. The signature image on this year’s commemorative Indian Market & Festival T-shirt is Turtle Drum by David Martin (Pokagon Band of Potawatomi).
About the Eiteljorg
For nearly 37 years, the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art has been an integral part of the cultural fabric of Indianapolis and scenic White River State Park. The Eiteljorg Museum explores the intersection of the arts, histories and cultures of the past and present by sharing the diverse stories of the American West and the Indigenous Peoples of North America.
Located on the Central Canal at 500 West Washington St., the Eiteljorg is a 501c3 nonprofit organization.
