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May 4, 2024

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Local community invited to celebrate New Year’s Eve with Elvis at the Radisson Inn

Adrianna Adame
by
adrianna@imfreedomalliance.org
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Local community members are invited to the Indigenous Community New Year’s Eve Celebration to enjoy an evening with Elvis and partake in festivities at the Radisson Inn Galleria Ballroom on Dec. 31. 

The celebration will be a substance-free event for individuals and families – simply put, no drugs or alcohol. 

Bis-Man Natives are welcome to attend the Indigenous Community New Year’s Eve Celebration for a family-frienly evening with Elvis at the Radisson Inn Galleria Ballroom on Dec. 31. Photo courtesy of Sacred Pipe Resource Center

Darlene Perkins, an MHA fashion designer and quill artist, approached Sacred Pipe Resource Center staff to collaborate for the Indigenous Community New Year’s Eve Celebration. With the help of her business, Red Lighting Couture and the MHA Nation, the three organizations will be hosting the event for the Bismarck-Manadan-Lincoln area from 8 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. on New Year’s Eve.

North Dakota is ranked as the top state in the U.S. for binge drinking, according to America’s Health Rankings. About 24% of survey respondents reported drinking more than four or five alcoholic beverages on one occasion in the past 30 days or participating in heavy drinking by consuming eight to 15 beverages per week.

Cheryl Kary, the Executive Director of Sacred Pipe Resource Center, encourages sobriety in Indian Country through holding substance-free events. “Opportunities like this where people can get together in a safe space in an alcohol-free and drug-free environment are really important, especially in places like North Dakota where we have such high rates of alcoholism and teen drinking,” said Kary. “We want to provide opportunities for people who can come and not have to worry about it –– we’re going to have a lot of fun without it [alcohol].” 

Multi-award winning Elvis Presley tribute artist Lloyd Aron Douglas will be performing on and off at the event all night long. The San Francisco-based impersonator travels across the country to engage with Elvis fans while reviving the memory of the King of Rock and Roll. “We’re pretty excited that Elvis will be in the building,” Kary said. 

Elders and community members can participate in an open mic to either share stories or thoughts they have for the New Year. Kary emphasizes providing opportunities for American Indians to focus on building relationships within their community.

“I encourage our Native community members to come and get involved in this event because we know that traditionally our winter solstice started with families getting together and games and food and storytelling and sharing,” Kary said.

The family-friendly event plans to offer puzzles and classic board games, like Operation and Connect Four, available for families to play together. There will also be a community game show where attendees can answer questions to trivia. Sacred Pipe staff will announce door prizes throughout the celebration.

Besides witnessing Elvis’ performance, Kary said she is looking forward to spending the evening with friends and community members. She hopes to continue to see new faces at each event.

Sourcing & Methodology Statement:

Excessive Drinking in North Dakota. America’s Health Rankings. (n.d.). https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/measures/ExcessDrink/ND

Lloyd Aron Douglas - Elvis Tribute artist. GigSalad. (n.d.). https://www.gigsalad.com/lloyd_aron_douglas

 

Dateline:

BISMARCK, N.D.

Posted in Community FeaturedTagged
Adrianna Adame
adrianna@imfreedomalliance.org

Adrianna Adame -- enrolled Chippewa Cree, Rocky Boy's Reservation in Montana -- is a Report for America corps member covering Indigenous Democracy across the state of North Dakota for Buffalo’s Fire. While in Bismarck, she will be reporting on voting rights, tribal council, school board and rural co-op meetings, tribal college stories and K-12 education. Prior to joining Buffalo’s Fire, Adame graduated with her Masters in Journalism from Syracuse University’s S.I. School of Public Communication, where she was a Newhouse Minority Fellow and intern at Syracuse.com. In Syracuse, she reported on stories from underrepresented communities in Central New York, as well as arts and entertainment. Adame has also contributed and written for local and editorial sites such as POPSUGAR, the Stand, NPR Next Gen and Flique Editorial. Throughout her undergrad years, she also held the positions of Managing and News Editor for The Cougar Chronicle, California State San Marcos’ student newspaper, where she lead, edited, reported and most importantly, first became passionate about journalism. Since her days at The Cougar Chronicle, she’s has been determined to work in local journalism, primarily focusing on diverse communities. Adame is Mexican American and a proud member of the Chippewa Cree Tribe of Rocky Boy, Montana.

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