A (Celebration of Native Americans) Education Day - CONA -will be held at Oakdale Nature Preserve in Freeport, IL, from 10-4 p.m. on Saturday, June 6.

Dancers will gather in our sacred circle, and the audience will be invited to join us. A pipe ceremony will start the day, followed by several speakers, including Hoo Haven, who will be bringing animals.

There will be a children's area with a craft-making table and a face-painting artist creating woodland designs. Handmade craft vendors and demonstrations will be held throughout the day.

Visitors are invited to visit our tipi and can also head to our fry bread booth for a tasty lunch. Talks on the native flute, the medicine wheel, and storytelling will round out the day. 

This is a free event, but a free-will donation jar is available at the MMIW t-shirt table.

In case of rain, the event will be held in the tabernacle on the preserve grounds. 

CONA Schedule 2026

(Celebration of Native Americans Education Day)

10:00 -10:45 a.m.           Pipe Ceremony – Gathering Circle

11:00 – 12:00 p.m.         Hoo Haven - Tabernacle

12:15 – 12:45 p.m.        Storytelling – Gathering Circle

12:45 – 1:15 p.m.          Flute Player – Gathering Circle

1:15 – 2:00 p.m.            Community Drum Circle - Gathering Circle                                

1:30 – 2:00 p.m.            Fry Bread Demo – Gathering Circle

2:00 – 2:30 p.m.            Dancer/and Round dance- Gathering Circle

2:30 – 3:00 p.m.            Drum making demo – Drum Tent       

Vendors open all day.

Children’s Craft Tables/Face painting - open all day – Tabernacle