Crow Fair reunites the Apsáalooke Nation in Montana for a vibrant celebration of tradition, family, pride, and homecoming.
Crow Fair — held each year in Crow Agency, Montana, by the Apsáalooke (Crow) people — is more than a celebration of the New Year, it is a reunion, a return. For many young people who leave the reservation for school or work, distance can make it difficult to come home. Yet every August, families gather again in the “Teepee Capital of the World,” raising rows of canvas structures along the riverbank and above the powwow grounds.
This year, I had the privilege of attending Crow Fair with my friend Boone Not Afraid and his family. I arrived at their camp late at night, close to 11 p.m. The air was cool and smelled faintly of food cooked earlier in the day. Laughter and voices moved easily through the night. The first evening, I was introduced to Bethany, Rose, and more family members, who welcomed me as though they had known me for years. They shared stories of past Crow Fairs, laughter spilling freely between memories. In that moment, I felt the comfort of home in a place that was not my own.
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The camp itself is a living heartbeat of tradition and kinship. The Crow People use four poles for the stabilization of their teepee, other tribes use three. I was told the four poles represent life’s stages, from childhood to elder. The filler poles represent mothers, children, or clans. The very last pole is the protector pole, otherwise known as the chief pole. The canvas is attached to the chief pole and the wrapping of the canvas symbolizes the warriors’ protection of the people. Inside the teepee, every pole, stake and stitch carries love. Standing within one, you feel the heart of Crow Country.
For many tribes, stories are how culture and traditions are passed from generation to generation, much as how the history of Crow Fair has been carried forward from parent to child. Boone’s older brother, Deano, recalled the origins of the parade as told to him by a family elder. Long ago, when the Crow people moved from camp to camp, men would put their wives and children on the swiftest war horses, while they undertook the journey on foot. The men stayed close, ready to jump on their horse to protect their families from attack. Though there is no longer a threat of ambush, the pride remains. Today, families still ride with their finest regalia and horses, carrying forward the spirit of their ancestors with every step.
At the Not Afraid camp, the days unfolded in a rhythm that felt both timeless and alive. On the first morning, the smell of biscuits and gravy drifted through camp as Bethany cooked over the stove. Soon after, two horse trailers rolled in, carrying three Shetland ponies and several tall horses. Children rushed through breakfast, their anticipation bubbling into laughter, before changing into their regalia. Parents’ hands were ready to help get every detail perfect. Sequins caught the sunlight, feathers lifted in the breeze, while horses were adorned with folded Pendleton blankets, beadwork, and headpieces.
Each morning began with the parade. An hour before the start, a loud and startling boom cracked through the valley, signaling it was time to prepare. The powwow grounds stirred awake — beadwork and bells jingled with each step, the smell of coffee and breakfast drifted through the breeze, and bright colors gathered in every direction. The parade is more than a procession — it is a ceremony and judged competition, where every detail of regalia and every step of a horse carries history. Families moved through the grounds with dignity and pride, their presence echoing the strength of many generations.
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As the days passed, I found myself deeply moved by the routine of camp life: early morning mist blanketing the grounds, the sunrise kissing teepees with a rich amber glow, families reuniting over midday meals, evenings filled with drumbeats, song and children’s laughter. It was more than tradition, it was nourishment for the spirit.
Experiencing the Not Afraid camp at Crow Fair reminded me that connection to family, culture, and land is what sustains us — and what will always call us back to the homelands.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Maria Hawkins
For more about Crow Fair, go to visitmt.com
