Native American Festival at UA’s Moundville Archaeological Park to Host Live Concerts

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Native American performing artists, craftspeople, and musicians will entertain and educate visitors during the Moundville Native American Festival, Oct. 1-4, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., at The University of Alabama’s Moundville Archaeological Park, 13 miles south of Tuscaloosa off state Highway 69.

Designated a Cultural Olympiad Event and named a Top 20 Tourism Event by the Alabama Bureau of Tourism & Travel, the festival will feature live concerts Friday and Saturday, featuring Grammy winner Mary Youngblood. For more information on this artist, see: http://www.silverwave.com/youngblood.html?137,52

Youngblood’s signature performances include audience participation with djembes, hand drums, and rattles. Visitors will also see musical talent Darryl Tonemah with his own rock/folk/country niche he calls “Native Americana.” Tonemah has performed with Hootie and the Blowfish, Creedence, and Johnny Lang. For more on Tonemah, see: http://www.tonemah.com/Tonemahindex.html

Other festival attractions will include Native foods, children’s activities, dance, storytelling, crafts and games, living history re-enactments, an arts market, archaeology in action, and demonstrations.

The Moundville Native American Festival attracts nearly 16,000 visitors annually. Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for children, students and groups of 10 or more. Phone 205/371-2234 for group registration, and for more information, visit the web site http://www.moundville.ua.edu/festival.html

The “Big Apple of the 14th century,” the Moundville site is a 320-acre national historic landmark of prehistoric Indian mounds, campgrounds, picnic areas, nature trails, with a riverbend lodge and museum of choice artifacts. Moundville Archaeological Park is open daily, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. The museum is open daily, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Both the park and museum are closed for major holidays.