PEEC's having a Powwow

DINGMANS FERRY - A powwow is a cultural festival of song and dance, uniting Native people from across North America to share and celebrate their culture and educate the public through song, dance, craft and special performances. The Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC) is hosting its first annual Native American “Powwow in the Poconos” on Oct. 14 and 15, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Powwow in the Poconos activities include special performances of Native American flute, hoop-dancing, smoke dances, and life-ways. This event is for all ages. Admission is $7 per day and parking is free, but limited. The center will extend parking with a shuttle from Girl Scout Camp Hidden Falls off of Milford Road to the center’s campus. Shuttle service to and from the Black Bear Film Festival in Milford, PA is also being provided. Bring portable chairs and be prepared to enjoy a day full of Native American culture. Gates and vendor booths open at 10 a.m. followed by a grand parade at noon. Gates close at 6 p.m. This first annual event is being made possible through partnerships with the National Park Service, Dingmans Campground, the Pocono Mt. Vacation Bureau and the Black Bear Film Festival. In conjunction with the Black Bear Film Festival’s popular EnviroFest series, visitors to the powwow on Saturday will also enjoy a special viewing of an independent Native American film in the center’s main building. For those interested in more information about the powwow or how to participate in the event, call Ethan Huner at 570 828-2319 or e-mail ehuner@peec.org. The center is also looking for volunteers to help with event set-up/take-down, registration, trash pick-up, parking, food service preparation and other areas during the event. For those interested in volunteering for this event, contact the center. The center is located off of Route 209, near mile marker 8, within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in Dingmans Ferry, Lehman Township.