In Forest County, the 58th Annual Tionesta Indian Festival has officially begun, bringing a wide range of free activities to the community.

Hosted by the Tionesta Community Association, the event features over 71 craft vendors, food trucks, live music, and cultural displays.

This year’s festival highlights include performances by Native American storytellers and dancers from the Seneca Nation.

Frank Lamberto, a member of the Tionesta Community Association, noted, "We have a lot of events happening this year and more vendors than ever before, but we also have a group that comes down from the Seneca Nation and they perform numerous dances and tribal customs for the festival. We want to have a great community event and pay tribute to the Native Americans in this area.”

Bernadette Holzer, President of the Tionesta Community Association, added, “There is so much to do at the festival. We also have a storyteller from the Seneca Nation, and I believe that this year we have four vendors who are Native American. Every year we hope to expand more and more.”

The festival emphasizes education and cultural awareness, with vendors traveling from as far as Tennessee to share their heritage and crafts.

Sheila, owner of Seeds of Wisdom, expressed her enthusiasm, saying, “It’s really exciting. I look forward to the festival. For me, it's worth it to drive nine or ten hours. I am Indigenous, and I like it when my products are appreciated by people who understand Indigenous culture and what it all entails. I encourage everyone to come out and learn about the culture and experience the beautiful storytelling and dancing, because it's beautiful and a lot of the time, people who are not Indigenous don't get a chance to experience it.”

The Tionesta Indian Festival is dedicated to celebrating and honoring Native culture while providing valuable educational opportunities to the wider community.

The event is running August 10th through the 18th, with activities starting at 9:00AM daily. Attendees can enjoy live music, carnival rides, and a variety of food options, all with no admission fee.

For more information, visit here.