After 43 Years, Gathering of Nations Powwow Announces Final Event in 2026
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (Aug. 29, 2025) — After more than four decades, the Gathering of Nations Powwow — billed as the largest powwow in North America — will come to an end on April 24–25, 2026, organizers announced Saturday.
A press release revealed the official dates and poster for the 43rd and final event, which prominently displays the words: “THE LAST DANCE.”
“There comes a time,” was the only statement released by Gathering of Nations Limited, the organization that launched the powwow more than 40 years ago. The final celebration will take place at Expo New Mexico/Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque.
The Expo NM grounds have long provided a vibrant backdrop for the event, featuring the spiritual Teepee Village, the Native American Horse/Regalia and Rider Parade on Main Street, the indoor Indian Trader’s Market, a Native food court, car show, and some of the most competitive and social dancing in North America.
Native dancers and singers from across the United States and Canada are expected to attend. In 2026, the powwow will also participate in Route 66 centennial celebrations, with special activities planned on the grounds.
The Gathering of Nations annually attracts more than 3,000 performers and over 100,000 visitors, with another 4.2 million people engaging through its live webcast, according to event organizers. In 2023, the powwow set a record with more than 105,000 attendees. Dancers and singers representing over 500 tribes regularly take part.
The event is also home to the annual Miss Indian World competition, one of the most prestigious cultural pageants in Native America.
The end of the Gathering of Nations will be a major loss for Albuquerque, which typically sees hotels fully booked during powwow weekend. The powwow generates an estimated $30 million in annual economic impact for the city, according to Reilly White, a finance professor at the University of New Mexico.
Grand Entry at the 40th Annual Gathering of Nations Powwow at the Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Saturday, April 29, 2023. (Photo by Darren Thompson).
