Winter Festival of Prairie Cultures

Go back in time this holiday season, November 29 through December 31, at Homestead National Historical Park’s Education Center and Heritage Center, to see a beautiful tapestry of winter traditions of those who lived on the Great Plains. The Homestead Act of 1862 served as an invitation for immigrants to seek free 160-acre homesteads in the United States, resulting in the arrival of a variety of cultural and ethnic traditions to the United States. The Winter Festival of Prairie Cultures remembers this rich heritage and celebrates the cultures of those who settled to the Great Plains as well as the rich cultural traditions that precede the Homestead Act.

 

The Winter Festival of Prairie Cultures will feature a new Indigenous art exhibit, and updated decorations and tabletop displays that reflect the spirit and traditions which characterized winter celebrations on the Great Plains.

 

In addition to the displays, there will be special programs and activities presented on December 1, 8, and 15, 2024. These programs will be at the Education Center.