Amazing tales as told by the Cherokee storytellers themselves.

Imagine you’re gathered around a roaring bonfire, the occasional spark shooting high into the night sky, as a strong but gentle voice begins a story you’ve never heard. As the drama builds, you’re nearly breathless, your own heartbeat matching the occasional beat of the hand drum the storyteller uses. Drawing from a rich oral tradition dating back millennia, the Cherokee Bonfire runs throughout the tourism season, and is an enchanting way to interact with the rich details of the Cherokee people and their stories. Get your room reserved in Cherokee, grab a blanket and someone close to you, and enjoy a cultural experience only Cherokee can offer.

The Bonfire stories crackles from 7:00–9:00 p.m. on the following dates at Oconaluftee Islands Park, on Tsali Blvd.:

May 28-30 and then Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, June 1–October 31, 2022.

See the world through the eyes of indigenous filmmakers.
July 22 at Mountainside Theatre.

A new and exciting chapter of native representation in film is being written under the stars of Cherokee, NC, in one exciting night. It’s a chapter full of critical acclaim, thanks to the attention of global filmmakers and lovers of all things celluloid. And it includes your chance to see films and stories from some of the best and brightest native filmmakers, including the opportunity to meet the filmmakers themselves. Hosted by the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, “The Way We See the World: Exploring Indigenous Representation in Film” is a fundraising event, a film festival, and a journey into native stories and cinematic storytelling all in one—and it’s happening on July 22, at 24 frames per second.

Your ticket includes five short films, all created by native writers, directors, and producers. Some of those filmmakers will be on hand to speak and answer questions, including special guests Sterlin Harjo (Seminole Nation, executive producer/showrunner of the Golden Globe-nominated FX series Reservation Dogs), Brit Hensel (Cherokee Nation, director of the Sundance-selected short ᎤᏕᏲᏅ [What They’ve Been Taught]), Keli Gonzales (Cherokee Nation, associate producer of ᎤᏕᏲᏅ [What They’ve Been Taught]), Anthony Sneed (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, writer/director/producer of the short films SWIPE and STRIPPER), and Peshawn Bread (Comanche Nation, writer/director, The Daily Life of Mistress Red). An art market, silent auction, and special VIP reception complete the schedule of events. Proceeds from the evening will directly support the Museum’s Community Learning and Educational Programming initiatives.

Bring a blanket and an appetite for heart-pounding drama.

You can feel a slight chill run up your spine; but not from the mountain winds shifting their direction in anticipation of the coming dusk. It is from your anticipation of the coming drama. Unto These Hills drama is the tragic and triumphant story of the Cherokee that traces back to the years before the heartbreak of the Trail of Tears to the present day. Millions of people have witnessed America’s most powerful drama, which rewrites the Cherokee’s place in the world. A place based on traditional Cherokee values and modern sensibilities.