Hunting Moon Powwow Draws Dancers to Milwaukee
The three-day Indigenous competition at the Baird Center featured dance, drumming and a newly chosen head dancer.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Native American
The Hunting Moon Powwow took place at the Baird Center in Milwaukee from October 16 to 18, 2026. The annual competitive event features dancing and singing contests with cash prizes up to $1,400.
Why it matters
The powwow reflects the revival of Woodland-style dance across Wisconsin's 12 Indigenous tribes in recent years. Its war dance has also shifted from celebrating battle victories to supporting those battling drug and alcohol abuse.
Competitors in dancing and singing events could win cash prizes up to $1,400 at the three-day event. Attendance figures for the 2026 powwow were not reported.
The players
Nick Shepard
Nick Shepard is a dancer of the Forest County Band of the Potawatomi nation who was selected as head dancer for the 2026 powwow.
Katarina Lowell
Katarina Lowell is a 25-year-old dancer of the Pokagon Band of the Potawatomi nation who served as female head dancer at the 2026 powwow.
Bullhorn
Bullhorn is a 10-member drumming and singing group from the Kainai nation of the Blackfoot Confederacy in Alberta, Canada, which hosted the 2026 powwow.
The details
Host drums opened and closed the powwow with several songs, while groups gathered for drumming competitions circling the dance floor with large drums, microphones and speakers. Nick Shepard, 48, of the Forest County Band of the Potawatomi nation, was chosen as head dancer by a committee that evaluates skill and cultural knowledge.
Timeline
The Hunting Moon Powwow began in Milwaukee in the early 2000s.
The 2026 powwow was held October 16-18 at the Baird Center.
Bullhorn will perform at the Manito Albee Powwow in Winnipeg starting Oct. 31.
Culture Shift
The powwow reflects the revival of Woodland-style dance across Wisconsin's 12 Indigenous tribes in recent years. Its war dance has moved from celebrating battle victories to supporting those confronting drug and alcohol abuse.
Milwaukee residents can attend future competitive powwows at the Baird Center, which features public dancing and drumming. Those interested in the cultural events can follow the Hunting Moon schedule for future dates.
The takeaway
The Hunting Moon Powwow shows how Indigenous dance traditions continue to evolve while carrying forward cultural knowledge across generations. Readers interested in the tradition can attend public powwow events to see the dance and drumming firsthand.
Further reading
Explore more Native American coverage tied to Milwaukee's annual powwow traditions.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Marquette Wire.
