Indigenous Peoples Day at Fort Langley

The Fort Langley National Historic Site hosts a special First Nations-themed event in mid-June to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day.

In 2024 the fort had its Stalew 10th Anniversary event on June 15th (which was the weekend before National Indigenous Peoples Day). In addition to performances and demonstrations by various local Indigenous groups, an Indigenous market was on site with over 40 vendors showcasing clothing, jewelry, paintings, decorations and more. Admission to the fort on the day was also free!

For full details about the event on June 15th in 2024, see the Parks Canada website or continue reading.

National Indigenous Peoples Day at Fort Langley

June 21st is National Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada. Fort Langley National Historic Site is one of several places around the Lower Mainland that hosts an event in June that showcases and celebrates Indigenous culture.

The National Indigenous Peoples Day event in Fort Langley takes place every year around but never on June 21st. The 2024 edition of the event happened on Saturday, June 15th. This past year’s event was a special one as it was also the 10th anniversary celebration of the Stalew Arts & Culture Society. The event was the biggest one yet!

The Stalew Arts & Culture Society is a local charity that helps Indigenous artists reach their potential. The organization also hosts an annual Pow Wow at the Langley Event Centre in September.

Where, When and How Much

In 2024 the Stalew 10th Anniversary event ran from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturday, June 15th. It was held at the Fort Langley National Historic Site. The fort’s address is 23433 Mavis Avenue.

In years past the Fort Langley National Indigenous Peoples Day events have often had a small admission cost (under $8 for adults). In 2024, however, the event was entirely free! Everyone was welcome to join in on the celebrations and learn from and about the local Indigenous communities.

What to Expect

The Stalew 10th Anniversary event showcased Indigenous culture, and, in 2024, celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the Stalew Arts & Culture Society. At the event was an artisan market featuring over 40 vendors showing their various crafts. There was also an Ancestor’s Café where guests could try different Indigenous dishes.

Members of local First Nations were on hand at the event to give various demonstrations. There was singing, dancing and pow wow drumming. Activities at the National Indigenous Peoples Day event at the fort included cedar weaving, guided tours of the area and storytelling sessions.

The full schedule from the 2024 event was the following.

10:15 am – Red Hawk Singers
10:30 am – Salish Thunderbird
11:00 am – Plant walks with Karen Gabriel
11:30 am – Blacksmith demo
12:00 pm – Storytelling with Fern Gabriel
12:30 pm – Grounding Langley talk
1:00 pm – Plant walks with Karen Gabriel
2:00 pm – Powwow performance by Wild River Singers & Dance Group
2:45 pm – Wild Moccasin Dancers
3:00 pm – Storytelling with Fern Gabriel

Event Video

For a better idea of what to expect, check out the video below. It was filmed at the Stalew 10th Anniversary event in 2024, which featured more things to do than in previous years. Featured performers in the video are the Wild Moccasin Dancers.

About Fort Langley

Fort Langley National Historic Site is a former Hudson Bay Company trading post, located in the small town of Fort Langley. Today, the site is a top attraction and popular with families.

Fort Langley is in the northern part of the Township of Langley. The Township of Langley is on the traditional, unceded territories of the q̓ʷɑ:n̓ƛ̓ən̓ (Kwantlen), q̓ic̓əy̓ (Katzie), Máthxwi (Matsqui) and Se’mya’me (Semiahmoo) Coast Salish peoples. The Kwantlen First Nation is an Indigenous band that is located primarily in the Fort Langley region. The historic fort has had a close relationship with the local First Nations community for many years.

The Fort Langley National Historic Site has year-round exhibits that show what life was like back when BC first became a province. The site is open almost every day. There are plenty of events held at the site at various times of the year including the Vive Les Voyageurs Festival in January, the Hawaiian Luau in May, Brigade Days in August and Douglas Day at Fort Langley in autumn. During the Halloween season there are also Grave Tales Walking Tours. The attraction hosts other events at other times of the year too, including during the Christmas holiday season.

To learn more about the fort and the events held there, see our article about the Fort Langley National Historic Site.