This weekend the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation welcomes the public for its 41st annual Orme Dam Victory Days with the colorful pageantry of pow wow dancing and the rugged wrangling of rodeo sports. Activities run Friday, Nov. 18, through Sunday, Nov. 20.

Native Americans from across North America will make their way to Fort McDowell for the pow wow and rodeo competition.

The pow wow dancers will compete with four programs beginning Friday evening, Nov. 18. Gourd dancing begins at 6 p.m. with the Grand Entry at 7 p.m.

On Saturday, Nov. 19, there will be two sessions with the first gourd dancers beginning at 11 a.m., followed by Grand Entry at 1 p.m. An evening event will start with gourd dancers at 6:30 p.m. and Grand Entry at 7:30 p.m.

Gourd dancers begin at 12 noon on Sunday, Nov. 20, followed by Grand Entry at 1 p.m.

Men and women will compete in the all-Indian rodeo beginning on Friday, Nov. 18, with slack at 8 a.m. Friday and Saturday, with junior events at Saturday slack.

Competition performances will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The short program of top 10 is Sunday, Nov. 20, at 12 noon.

The events include bull riding, saddle bronc, bareback, steer wrestling and tie-down roping.

Women will compete in barrel racing and breakaway roping.

Beyond these feature events the Orme Dam Victory Days Parade will be held on Saturday, Nov. 19, at 9 a.m. The parade route is along Fort McDowell Road between Ba Hon Nah Road and Yuma Frank Road.

Other sporting competition taking place for the celebration includes basketball and golf tournaments.

There are also cultural activities throughout the celebration.

Orme Dam Victory Days were established to commemorate the Yavapai Nation’s success in dissuading the Federal Government from building Orme Dam at the confluence of the Salt and Verde rivers, a facility that would have inundated nearly all of the Fort McDowell community.

The public is welcome to attend and all activities are free with a $10 parking fee. The pow wow and rodeo competition will take place at the Rodeo Grounds east of the Verde River off the Beeline Highway (SR-87).