Orange Shirt Day is a time to honor Indigenous children who were taken from their families and to raise awareness about the lasting impacts of the residential school system. It is also a chance for communities to come together in solidarity, healing, and remembrance.

Here’s the full schedule of Orange Shirt Day events happening between September 27 – October 1, 2025 across the United States. You can join in person or virtually to show your support.

📍 September 27 (Saturday) – Seattle, Washington

Healing Through Resilience: 5K Run & Walk

• Location: Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center

• Time: 9:00 AM check-in, 10:00 AM start

• Organized by: Chehalis Tribe

A community 5K run and walk dedicated to resilience and healing. Participants wear orange shirts to symbolize unity and the message that Every Child Matters.

📍 September 27 (Saturday) – Chicago, Illinois

Every Child Matters Powwow 2025

• Location: Caldwell Woods, Forest Preserves of Cook County

• Time: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

• Organized by: AIHS Chicago / CAICC

A vibrant Powwow featuring traditional music, dance, and ceremonies. This cultural gathering celebrates Indigenous strength, while remembering the children lost to residential schools.

📍 September 27 (Saturday) – Eagle Butte, South Dakota

Orange Shirt Day Remembrance

• Location: Eagle Butte community (exact time TBA)

• Organized by: Westriver Eagle + community leaders

A heartfelt community remembrance event honoring the children and families affected, and reaffirming a shared path toward healing.

🌐 September 27 – October 1 – Nationwide (Virtual)

Remembrance Run: Every Child Matters (5K Virtual Run/Walk)

• Participate online from anywhere

• Submit your times & photos between September 27 – October 1

• Fundraising for NABS

• Organized by: Elite Feats Events

An opportunity for anyone, anywhere, to take part. Wear orange, complete your 5K at home, and share your results to contribute to the national movement and support fundraising efforts.

📍 September 30 (Tuesday) – Browning, Montana

De La Salle Blackfeet School – Day of Remembrance & Education

• Livestreamed event with remembrance and educational programs

• Part of the school’s 25th anniversary

• Organized by: DLSBS

A special day where students, educators, and the wider community come together to remember, learn, and strengthen cultural resilience.

📍 September 30 (Tuesday) – Morris, Minnesota

University of Minnesota Morris – Homecoming Spirit Week: Orange Shirt Day

• A campus-wide event

• Organized by: University of Minnesota Morris

Incorporated into Homecoming Spirit Week, this event unites students and faculty in wearing orange and spreading the message: Every Child Matters.

✨ Join, Remember, and Support

Whether you attend in person or participate virtually, every orange shirt, every step, and every act of remembrance sends a powerful message: every child deserves to be honored and remembered.

In the winter of 1838, thousands of Cherokee men, women, and children were forced from their homelands in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and the Carolinas.
What followed was one of the darkest chapters in American history:
The Trail of Tears — a government-mandated journey of more than 1,000 miles to unfamiliar lands, marked by death, disease, hunger, and heartbreak.

💔 By the Numbers, Beyond the Numbers

• Over 16,000 Cherokee were rounded up at gunpoint.
  

• At least 4,000 died on the journey due to cold, starvation, and illness.
  

• Entire families were separated, elders were buried in unmarked ground, and sacred lands were left behind forever.
  

But beyond the numbers lies something deeper:
💬 "We cried... we cried so much the rivers ran red." – remembered by descendants.

🌿 A People Torn, A Spirit Unbroken

Despite the cruelty, the Cherokee Nation endured.

• Their language survived.
  

• Their ceremonies were kept in secret and then revived.
  

Their descendants now lead nations, write books, teach history, and carry the memory of those who walked before them.

Why We Must Remember

To honor Indigenous voices today,
we must listen to the silence left behind yesterday.

The Trail of Tears is not only a history lesson—it is a moral memory.
It reminds us of what happens when land is valued more than people.
When sovereignty is ignored.
When promises are broken.

And yet, the story is not only sorrow—it is survival.
 It is the quiet power of a people who still sing, still gather, still walk.

💬 “They tried to bury us—but they didn’t know we were seeds.”

Let us walk more mindfully.
Speak more truthfully.
And honor more fully.

🕯️ In remembrance of those who walked the Trail of Tears — and those who still carry the weight.

✨ Uncover the Meaning Behind Every Carving

Totem poles are more than beautiful works of art—they are powerful storytellers. Each figure carved into these towering structures holds deep cultural and spiritual significance, representing family lineage, historical events, or ancient legends.

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Close-up photo of a traditional Native American totem pole, with vibrant carvings of animals and human figures against a forest background.

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🐦 A Language of Symbols
 From the majestic eagle to the watchful bear, each figure carved into a totem pole carries a message. These symbols connect communities to their ancestors, share life lessons, and preserve traditions for future generations.

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🌲 More Than Decoration
 Totem poles are storytellers in wood, capturing moments in history and weaving them into a visual narrative. They remind us that heritage and identity are worth celebrating and protecting.

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The Raven Totem of Stanley Park
One of the most well-known poles stands in Stanley Park, Vancouver. The Raven, often seen as a trickster and a bringer of knowledge, is carved alongside other figures that represent creation stories. This pole not only honors ancestral legends but also serves as a reminder of resilience and cultural continuity.

Wings of Courage – Honoring the Power of Eagle Feathers

🌿 A Sacred Gift from the Sky
For Native Nations, eagle feathers hold a power beyond words.
They are symbols of strength, courage, and connection to the Creator — gifted only in moments of honor and deep respect.

Across Indian Country, these feathers are given to warriors returning home, graduates stepping into new paths, and community members who embody selflessness. They remind us that strength is not only in flight but in the spirit that lifts others.

⚖️ From Ceremony to Legacy
Eagle feathers carry stories through generations.
They are used in prayers, healing ceremonies, and dances, uniting communities in times of triumph and loss.
 To hold one is to hold the weight of tradition and the courage of those who came before us.

🔍 Why It Matters
Eagle feathers are more than sacred items — they are living symbols of resilience.
They remind us that even in challenging times, strength and courage can guide the way forward.

At Powwow Store, we honor these traditions with every design we create, weaving the stories of Native heritage into pieces that uplift and inspire.

What Dreamcatchers Truly Mean in Native Traditions

🌿 More Than a Beautiful Ornament

Dreamcatchers are more than decorative pieces — they are sacred objects rooted deeply in Native American tradition. Originally woven by elders of the Ojibwe people, dreamcatchers were made to protect loved ones, especially children, from unsettling dreams during the night.

✨ A Timeless Gift of Love

Each element of the dreamcatcher holds symbolic meaning:

• The circular hoop represents the circle of life and unity.
  

• The web catches bad dreams and negative energy.
  

• The feathers allow good dreams to softly descend onto the sleeper below.
  

Today, dreamcatchers are often gifted to celebrate milestones — the birth of a child, a new home, or the beginning of a new journey — offering wishes of protection, peace, and guidance.

🏡 Where & How to Use Your Dreamcatcher

To honor its purpose and energy, dreamcatchers are traditionally hung:

• Above the bed or in a sleeping area to protect against nightmares.
  

• Near a window to allow morning light to purify the web.
  

• Facing east — the direction of the rising sun, symbolizing new beginnings and spiritual clarity.
  

You may also place one in your car, office, or entrance as a symbol of safety and blessing throughout your journey.

🔍 Why They Still Matter Today

Dreamcatchers carry the wisdom and love passed down through generations. Even in uncertain times, they are powerful reminders that protection and hope are always within reach.

At Powwow Store, we honor this living tradition by offering pieces inspired by authentic Native stories and artistry — each crafted to inspire strength, love, and peace in your space.