Before Chicago Avenue will create a festive, welcoming environment to reactivate this corner as a place of coming together for the neighborhood. At the same time, the event will bring Native Arts to the forefront of the Chicago Avenue Arts Corridor.

When: Saturday, June 7

Time: 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Where: Z Puppets Rosenschnoz - 4054 Chicago Avenue

The family friendly celebration will feature:

• Z Puppets premiering TALES OF DAGSI TURTLE & JISDU WABBIT, a new live performance celebrating indigeneity, and TURTLEBACK TUNES a new video series to promote Cherokee language;

• Graci Horne (Dakota/Lakota) and Juan Lucero (Pueblo) hosting a participatory screen printing station where people can bring t-shirts, handkerchiefs or use the paper cards on site to print Graci’s design to take home.

• Julie Boada (Anishinaabe), puppetry artist, performer and director with career spanning 30 years, will stilt walk and lead a puppet making activity for youth;

• Jennings Mergenthal (child of indigenous person adopted from birth family), an emerging puppetry artist, leading a drop-in puppet making station;

• The team will nominate and select two additional native artists to lead activities in their art form;

• The opening of the WADO GARDEN;

• Kick off for the GADUGI GALLERY. GADUGI GALLERY will showcase the work of 8 Native artists in Z Puppets’ storefront windows and provide each with video artist statements.