Pemmican Days returns to Saulteau First Nations this July

MOBERLY LAKE, B.C. — Saulteau First Nations’ (SFN) annual cultural celebration will return this month, celebrating Indigenous traditions.

SFN announced dates for Pemmican Days, which will take place over four days, from Thursday, July 9, to Sunday, July 12.

According to a Facebook post, the event will feature a parade, handgames, horseshoes, children’s activities and more.

The event began over four decades ago, with SFN taking over management of the celebration in 1988. It was first created by local family groups to showcase First Nations culture.

It is named after Pemmican, a cultural food made of tallow, dried meat, and occasionally mixed berries.
The first evening of the celebration will feature event registration, a community feast and a tipi raising.

Day two will feature the annual Pemmican parade, where community members dress up floats and throw candy to spectators, with the route going through the SFN community.

Competitions in handgames, bow and arrow, slingshot and animal calls, among other festivities, will begin after remarks from dignitaries. 

Day two will feature a pancake breakfast, along with competitions such as axe throwing, tug of war, beading competitions, dry meat cutting and jiggle dancing. 

Saturday will end with the Saulteau’s Got Talent competition, scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. 

On Sunday, Pemmican Days will wrap up with an endurance race for adults, youth, and teenagers, tea boiling, bannock making, hair braiding, a children’s relay race, and leg wrestling.

The event will wrap up with a round dance and drumming performance at 3 p.m. on Sunday, July 12th.

An alcohol and drug-free event, food and market vendors will be on hand throughout the weekend, along with a 50/50 draw and more.

No pets or pedal bikes are permitted on Pemmican Grounds during the duration of the festival.

Registration for events is $50 per float, with beading and braiding competitions at $10 each.

Event registration is set at $5 for adults and Elders as well as youth ages 12 to 17; children between eight and 11 years old are $2.

SFN’s Pemmican Days 2026 begins on Thursday, July 9, at 4:30 p.m. at SFN’s band hall.  

Energeticcity.ca has contacted the SFN community events coordinator, Carlee Westgate, for comment.