Native American Arts Festival this weekend at Tallac

The summer fun spotlight on Lake Tahoe shines on the Washoe Tribe's 17th annual Wa She Shu It Deh Festival is 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Tallac Historic Site on Highway 89. Traditional Native American basket weaving, Native American arts, crafts, foods and cultural activities will be offered by vendors from across the nation.

"Lake Tahoe is our homeland. We celebrate its rich cultural significance to the Washoe people during this annual festival," said Waldo Walker, chairman of the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California. "Many people from the local community join us to make this an event that is both honoring and really a lot of fun."

The festival is held each year to increase the awareness of and appreciation for traditional and contemporary Native American art forms to the general public through exhibits, demonstrations and live performances. The idea behind the festival is to encourage and support the continuance of native art traditions and establish a viable market for the fine arts and native artisans.

The event will include a basket weaving competition, native film festival, traditional dance and drum performances, numerous native artists and performers, hand game demonstration and tournament, cultural activities, a raffle to raise funds for future festivals and lots of great food.

The event is free to the public. The festival is made possible through the cooperation of the Tahoe Tallac Association and USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. To donate a prize for the raffle or to make a monetary donation to support the festival, contact the festival manager Todd Eiesland at 265-8600.