The Alaska Federation of Natives convention will be in person for the first time in three years this fall.
The annual three-day gathering of the state’s largest Alaska Native organization was held virtually in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The last in-person convention was in 2019 in Fairbanks.
AFN represents members from 11 of the 12 regional Alaska Native Corporations and more than 191 federally recognized tribes.
AFN conventions typically consist of panels on a variety of topics related to Alaska Native people, as well as appearances from state and federal officials and debates between political candidates. Having a convention in-person will also mean the return of Alaska Native vendors selling art and artifacts, as well as nightly Quyana performances from Alaska Native dancers.
This year’s convention will be held Oct. 20 through Oct. 22 at the Dena’ina Center in Anchorage.
The theme for this year’s gathering will be “Celebrating our Unity.”
