Record number of participants at the festival Meet & Greet

“I love our people. I love talking to people who come from out of state. I love seeing people I haven’t seen in a long time, and that’s what this time is. It’s like a family reunion and meeting new people. It’s really about the people.” – Del Beaver, MCN Second Chief

OKMVLKE, Oklv. – The 2024 Muscogee (Creek) Nation Festival saw the return of many beloved events and activities. Topping the list was the meet-and-greet between the Principal Chief and Second Chief. The event took place on Saturday, June 22, and allowed festival-goers to cool off in the Mvskoke Dome and have a one-on-one with Chief Hill and Second Chief Beaver.

A barbecue sandwich was served for lunch. Attendees were also provided with a grab-and-go bag. The event also coincided with the festival’s Health Fair, which offered citizens the opportunity to learn about health and wellness services. Raffles for prizes and giveaways also punctuated the event with MCN Press Secretary Jason Salsman serving as master of ceremonies.

The event was well attended, with the line for the health fair and the line for the meetings extending out of the courthouse and into the lobby of the Mvskoke Dome. The event had a record turnout, with more than 500 participants, according to Secretary Salsman.

Asked what he enjoyed about the festival and the meeting, Principal Chief Hill said, “The citizens that are coming for the first time. They just enjoy it, meeting us, but for me it’s meeting them. And you know it just grows.”

An estimated 8,000 people attended Thursday night’s activities at the Claude Cox Omniplex. Attendance and growth put expansion on the minds of executives.

Deputy Chief Beaver said the highlight of his festival experience has been meeting citizens from all over the country. He said, “My festival has been great so far. It seems like every year, you know, we get a little bigger and bigger. We visit everybody. Florida, San Antonio, California, I mean everywhere. The furthest I’ve been was Seattle.”

Head Chef Hill and Assistant Chef Beaver also shared their favorite festival dishes. While Head Chef Hill cited Indian tacos, meat pies and three-inch-thick cowboy burgers as favorites, he also opted for traditional festival food. “It depends. I mean, what do you want? You can’t pick one. But if they have traditional food, safkef or cvtvhakvstuff like that, I would say it’s my favorite,” he shared.

Second Chef Beaver took a more traditional approach to the festival fair. While Indian tacos and fry bread were mentioned, meat pies are his favorite. He said, “Indian tacos are always a little hard to eat when you’re on the go, so I always have a meat pie. I had one on Thursday after the stomp dance.” But they don’t have to be spicy, he explained that his favorite dishes are made with ground beef, a little onion and spices. “You know, some people like cheese. Keep it simple.”