WATCH: Meet the powwow performer who's been at it for over 50 years

• Celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day in Kelowna
• Song, dance, drums and colour splash across downtown

It was a day of festivities in the downtown involving local entertainers performing contemporary and traditional songs, drum circles, and vendors selling traditional Indigenous items.

Two blocks of Leon Ave. were sectioned off to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day.

The day recognizes and celebrates the heritage, diverse cultures and contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples and the Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society hosted the Turtle Island Festival.

Barbra Jagodics from the Ki-Low-Na Friendship society told Kelowna10 one of the highlights of the day was the mini powwow which she took part in herself.

She wore a traditional jingle dress for the sacred social gathering.

“What it represents is prayers for people. So, you come and request a jingle dancer for a prayer, they’ll write the prayer down and they’ll stick in their medicine bag, and dance they’ll pray,” she said.

The performers were from around the Okanagan including Stan Jack from the sylix nation wearing an outfit suited for men’s northern traditional style of dance. Wearing eagle feathers, buffalo, deer, and elk hyde, with deer hooves on the moccasins.

Jack said powwows are all about coming together.

“It’s the gathering for one, it’s a gathering of nations. When you go to a pow wow it’s not just one nation, or one tribe, there are multiple nations and tribes,” he said.

Jack added there’s been more focus on the competition aspect for some powwows. But for him, it’s not about that.

“Sure, I do compete, but I’m not really there to compete, I’m there to dance,” he said. “I’ve been dancing for 52 years, and I come out to these events because I like to dance.”