Ocmulgee Indian Celebration poster.

The lifestyle of Native Americans has been preserved throughout the United States with national monuments and reservations. Each year, during the middle of September, thousands of people from all over the Southeast and beyond come out to the Ocmulgee Indian Celebration. This year, the dates fall on September 20 and 21. From 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., people are constantly pouring into the park by way of cars, bikes and on feet.

Many people outside of the Native American culture look forward to this annual festival. Once inside the Ocmulgee National Monument, you absorb the Native Americans’ culture through many forms of art which include dance, language, music, storytelling, just to name a few. Dance, music and oral history take the forefront on almost ever Native American ritual. They especially use these disciplines of art for happenings in life like the time of war, when a baby is born and hunting season. You may get so engaged in their lifestyle that you’ll leave out with your face painted. It’s almost guaranteed that you will make some type of craft, during your experience at the Ocmulgee Indian Celebration.

So pack the family up and head to the Ocmulgee National Monument for the Indian Celebration on September 20 and 21. The gates are open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., each day. Admission is $6 for ages 13 and older, $3 for ages 6 to 12 and for people with a military ID, and free for ages 6 and under. The Ocmulgee National Monument is located at 1207 Emery Highway. For more details, call 478-752-8257.