Chickasaws from across the country will gather to celebrate Chickasaw heritage, culture and traditions during the 2026 Chickasaw Annual Meeting and Festival, September 25 to October 3.
The weeklong event, celebrated in communities throughout the Chickasaw Nation, culminates with Chickasaw Nation Governor Chris Anoatubby’s State of the Nation Address at 9 a.m. October 3 at the Aiitafama’ Ishto (large meeting place) on the grounds of the Chickasaw Nation Historic Capitol Building in Tishomingo.
The tradition of Chickasaw Annual Meeting began in 1960, when more than 100 Chickasaws met at Seeley Chapel near Connerville, Oklahoma, to discuss the state of the tribe and a vision for the future. The Chickasaw Nation pays tribute to this historic event by celebrating Chickasaw pride and progress during the Chickasaw Annual Meeting and Festival.
This year marks the 66th Chickasaw Annual Meeting and 38th Chickasaw Festival.
The event will feature the coronation of tribal princesses, stickball games, a 5K and fun run, archery, senior and junior Olympics, golf, horseshoes, pickleball and cornhole tournaments, and more. Venues in Tishomingo, Ada and Sulphur, Oklahoma, will host numerous activities throughout the week.
The annual Southeastern Art Show and Market (SEASAM) and Southeastern Art Show and Market (SEASAM) Youth is set Friday, Oct. 2, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 3, from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the capitol grounds. A juried art show and market, Southeastern Art Show and Market (SEASAM) features adult and youth artists from federally recognized Southeastern tribes displaying jewelry, textiles, sculptures, paintings, photography and much more.
The 2026 Chickasaw Annual Meeting and Festival begins Friday, Sept. 25, with a social stickball game and stomp dance at 7 p.m. at Kullihoma, east of Ada.
