Wabanaki festival of arts and ideas returns to Bar Harbor for US’s 250th
Dawnland Festival Returns to Bar Harbor with Expanded Schedule, Smithsonian Partnership
The Dawnland Festival of Arts and Ideas is set to unfold July 11 and 12 at College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, bringing together Indigenous artists, scholars, and community members for a weekend of panels, performances, and cultural exchange.
Now in its third year under the Abbe Museum's direction, the festival has grown from its origins as the Native American Festival and Basketmakers Market into a comprehensive celebration of Wabanaki art, ideas, and leadership. Organizers anticipate approximately 2,000 attendees this year, an increase from last year's turnout.
This year's festival carries added significance as part of a broader collaboration with the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. The Smithsonian is touring its annual folklife festival to festivals nationwide to mark the country's 250th anniversary, with Dawnland serving as the sole New England partner in this initiative. Through this partnership, the Smithsonian is co-producing two panels and a performance at this year's event.
Betsy Richards, executive director of the Abbe Museum, noted that while 250 years represents a notable milestone for the United States, the number holds different meaning for Wabanaki communities.
"For Indigenous peoples, the land itself has been here far longer than any nation," Richards said. "What the Abbe is doing is bringing together all these experiences to make something that is very powerful in that everyone involved is going to benefit from."
Saturday's programming begins at 2:30 p.m. with "Water is Life," a panel moderated by Jennifer Neptune of the Penobscot Nation and featuring Samuel St. John of the Maliseet Nation and Billy Longfellow of the Passamaquoddy Nation. The afternoon continues at 4 p.m. with "Native Freedom of Expression," moderated by Esther Labrado of the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians, with panelists Daniel French of the Mohawk Nation and Mikhu Paul of the Maliseet Nation.
Passamaquoddy weaver Jeremy Frey, who received a MacArthur Fellowship in 2025, will sign copies of his work from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.
Sunday's schedule opens at 10 a.m. with a performance by Passamaquoddy artist Geo Neptune. At 11 a.m., "Native Photography as Self-Determination" will be moderated by Jeremy Dennis of the Shinnecock Nation, featuring Maya Attean of the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy Nations and Nolan Altvater of the Passamaquoddy Nation.
The festival's closing panel at 2:30 p.m. Sunday honors Wabanaki veterans, highlighting that Indigenous peoples have served in every American war since 1775. Donald Soctomah of the Passamaquoddy Nation will moderate, with panelists Donna Loring of the Penobscot Nation, Darren Ripley of the Passamaquoddy Nation, and Shane Hill of the Mi'kmaq Nation.
Mikhu Paul, a Portland-based artist participating in this year's festival, emphasized the importance of fair compensation for Indigenous artists.
"Most of the folks that we have are not afraid to speak truth, but also have a solutions-oriented and bringing-people-together approach about it," Paul said.
The Dawnland Festival is free and open to the public. The Abbe Museum requests that attendees register in advance due to limited seating and parking. A complete schedule of events is available on the museum's website.
