Rescheduled Native Now festival will explore, celebrate indigenous cultures

To paraphrase Robert Burns, the best laid schemes of mice and men often go awry. Such was the case last November, when a torrential downpour forced Arizona State University’s Deer Valley Rock Art Center to reschedule its Native Now festival.

As the Phoenix New Times recently reported, the free, family friendly event has been slightly reworked and will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 8.

Celebrating native cultures and exploring contemporary indigenous identity, the festival will feature music, community art projects, Diné-inspired foods, art demonstrations and the Emerson Fry Bread food truck.

Among the expected highlights are musical performances by hip-hop duo Shining Soul and Soul Deluxe host Bryon Fenix, and “My Transformation” by performance artist Melanie Sainz.

Also, award-winning filmmakers Velma Kee and Dustinn Craig will screen three of their works.

Located at the Hedgpeth Hills archaeological site, the Deer Valley Rock Art Center is home to a Will Bruder-designed museum, more than 1,500 petroglyphs and a 47-acre Sonoran Desert nature preserve. It is located at 3711 W. Deer Valley Road in Phoenix. The center is managed by the School of Human Evolution and Social Change in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.