Spring festival set for Monday at museum

This weekend's Spring Awakening Festival at Stewart Indian School Museum will be just one day, but it will be a long one.

"The council decided to make it one day, running from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.," Marcia Samuelsen said Tuesday.

The annual Stewart pow-wow celebrates the coming of spring, which will be March 20 this year.

Saturday's event will feature demonstrations on beading, pine needle and willow basketmaking, in addition to the dancing and the Indian tacos.

The lady who does the shredded bark weaving will be making sandals," Samuelsen said.

Samuelson, who is the administrative assistant to museum director Sheila Abbe, said people are coming from out of state to put on displays for the awakening.

"We're getting some Arizona vendors with jewelry and pottery and an artist from Grass Valley," she said.

This year's Awakening will be in and outside of the Stewart gymnasium.

"The food has to go outside," Samuelsen said. "But it sounds like will will have some nice weather."

This will be the 10th Awakening sponsored by the museum. Last year, the event lasted three days. Earlier versions were weekend events.

Dancing should be in the early afternoon, when the Indians don their Regalia.

Admission is free. Donations are accepted at the museum. Call 882-6929 for more information or visit the Stewart Museum's Web site at www.stewartmuseum.com