National Powwow Gala

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The second annual Canadian National Powwow Society fundraising gala was held at the Northlands Agricom on April 15. The gala, attended by dignitaries including Edmonton Mayor Bill Smith and Associate Minister of Aboriginal Affairs Pearl Calahasen, was emceed by Dale Auger.

Auger, who is from northern Alberta, kept the crowd in stitches with his antics. The event,attended by more than 600 people, served a dinner of first class magnitude, and featured multi-talented comedians, Howie Miller and Don Burnstick. Powwow dancers from different dance categories, singer Tom Jackson, an auction and a chance to win a cool 1,000-bill were also a part of the evening's activities.

"We did good in fundraising. It was successful. It was really nice to see Aboriginal people showcase their talents as comedians," said Heather Poitras, media relations, Canadian National Powwow Society. "Everyone enjoyed the show. Emcee, Dale Auger, really did a good job," she said.

This year powwow is scheduled to held on June 16 to 18.

"Last year we had over 600 dancers at the powwow. The first night we had only one concession stand at the powwow and they served 9,000 people," said Poitras. "This year we are planning to do a lot of advertising for the event well in advance," she said.

For the three-day event, the city is expecting visitors from all across the country.

"We will be attracting people from all over Canada and the United States and it will be a plus for the city of Edmonton," said Mayor Smith.

"This powwow is free to attend. There are no entry fees to get in. This is the first powwow of this size that you do not have to pay to get in," said James Gladue, vice president, Canadian National Powwow Society. "Getting everything in place is a challenge. You learn from your mistakes. No matter how perfect you want things to be, sometimes it takes time to get things the way you want them to be. There are many people working non-stop to make this event a reality and they are doing a great job," he said.