The Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation has announced the 44th Annual Orme Dam Victory Days Celebration, taking place Friday, Nov. 14, through Sunday, Nov. 16.

This annual celebration honors the nation’s historic victory in protecting its homeland and heritage. The three-day event will feature a Powwow, All-Indian Rodeo, carnival, parade, golf tournament, and a Youth Cultural Day, along with food vendors, arts and crafts booths, and family-friendly entertainment throughout the weekend.

Rodeo performance is Saturday, Nov. 15, at 2 p.m. at Fort McDowell Rodeo Grounds. Events include team roping – open, seniors and ladies. Ladies barrel racing, and breakaway roping.

The Orme Dam project was first proposed in 1947 to provide water storage and flood control for the Phoenix area. However, the project would have inundated two-thirds of the Fort McDowell Reservation, threatening the land, culture, and way of life of the Yavapai people. By the early 1970s, federal officials attempted to persuade the community to relocate in exchange for cash settlements and new housing. Despite widespread political and business support for the dam, the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation stood firm.

With determination and commitment to its cultural survival, the nation fought back without wealth or political influence, but with a united effort. The persistence paid off when on Nov. 12, 1981, U.S. Secretary of the Interior James Watt announced that the Orme Dam project would not be built. The nation’s homeland was saved.

In the four decades since that landmark victory, the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation has flourished. Today, the community boasts thriving enterprises, including the We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort: a destination that opened in October 2020 as an update to Arizona’s first gaming establishment. Visitors can also enjoy the award-winning We-Ko-Pa Golf Club or experience western adventure and trail rides at Fort McDowell Adventures.

The Yavapai Nation invites everyone to join them in celebrating the Orme Dam Victory Days. The event is considered a tribute to their ancestors’ courage and resilience and provides a chance for families to come together, learn, and celebrate Yavapai culture.

For more information about the Orme Dam Victory Days Celebration, please visit fmyn.org.