Local Indigenous organizations to host Red Dress Day on May 5th

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Local Indigenous groups will collaborate to host a day to commemorate and honour Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) for 2026.

Red Dress Day, held in memoriam for MMIWG victims, will take place on Tuesday, May 5th. For the third consecutive year, hosting duties will be handled by the Fort St. John Friendship Centre and the Fort St. John Métis Society.

Red Dress Day is a commemorative, memorial event honouring MMIWG victims. Statistics Canada data show the homicide rate among First Nations, Métis and Inuit women is six times higher than that of non-Indigenous women between 2009 and 2021.

It will include an artisan market, a walk and a candlelight vigil at Fort St. John’s Festival Plaza in Centennial Park. The event is free to participate.

A change from previous years, the entire itinerary will take place in the evening, according to Bailie Copeland.

Copeland is the director and grant writer for the Fort St. John Métis Society, and knows of the impact MMIWG has on Métis families.

“Men, women [and] children,” said Copeland to Energeticcity.ca. “Everybody’s been affected by [MMIWG] in some way.”

Copeland added the walk, which took place during the afternoon, will now take place in the evening, with a route around Centennial Park to the Pomeroy Sport Centre before returning to Festival Plaza. 

Westland Insurance has come aboard this year to sponsor an Elders table, and the Friendship Centre will have tables promoting their organization.

“We changed the route this year because last year there were so many [people],” said Copeland. “We had to wait at the crosswalks. This year, we are going around the square so we won’t have to block any roads.”

“We will also hold red lanterns when we walk. [This year] is a much more collaborative, concentrated effort.”

The third annual Red Dress Day artisan market and walk will take place on Tuesday, May 5th at Festival Plaza at 9523 100th Street, adjacent to Centennial Park starting at 5 p.m.