We were excited to return to Huntsville, Ontario for this year's National Indigenous Peoples Day celebration. This was our second time performing at the event after first being invited in 2024, and it was wonderful to see so many people come together to celebrate Indigenous cultures, music, and dance.
Last time, we were originally scheduled to perform outdoors overlooking the water at River Mill Park, but Mother Nature had other plans. Rain moved the celebration indoors to Huntsville's beautiful Algonquin Theatre, where we had the opportunity to perform on its impressive stage.
This year, the weather was much more cooperative. Although there were a few passing sunshowers, the celebration remained outdoors at River Mill Park under the Ross Kirwin Bandshell. It was a beautiful setting, with families enjoying the performances and taking part in the day's activities.
We were honoured to share the stage with talented musicians Jared Big Canoe and Logan Staats, along with our friend and Y4Y Canada collaborator Akina Ohlman, whose Fancy Shawl dancing always brings so much energy to the stage.
Our performance featured six traditional Métis jigging dances, each showcasing a different style and rhythm. As always, one of our favourite parts of the day came at the end of our set when we invited audience members to get up from their seats and learn some basic Métis jigging steps. Seeing children, parents, grandparents, and friends dancing together always reminds us why we love sharing our culture through interactive performances.
Thank you to the organizers for inviting us back to Huntsville for another memorable National Indigenous Peoples Day celebration. We always enjoy visiting this beautiful community, and we hope to be back again in the future.
If you are looking for interactive Métis cultural performances for your community event, school, festival, or conference, we would love to hear from you. We perform across Ontario and beyond (with travel allowance), sharing traditional Métis jigging, music, history, and audience participation activities that people of all ages can enjoy.
To book the Lyons Sisters Métis Jiggers, write to us at [email protected].
