Crow Fair features a host of cultural activities to spend new currency on

Coin of the Realm (COTR) will help the Apsáalooke Nation launch its new hard money currency at its 95th Annual Crow Fair Celebration in Montana August 15-19. The currency will be used as tokens for the fair, minted by Mulligan Mint and dispensed by COTR’s new token vending machines.

The Fair will be the starting point for what COTR hopes will eventually be widespread use of its token vending machines. It is also a step toward greater sovereignty for the Nation.

In addition to the new currency, the event will feature a host of cultural activities.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday will all start with breakfast at 7:45 AM, followed by an elaborate parade at 10:00 AM. Attendees will see parade participants dressed in traditional Crow Indian attire, including paint and feathers. Crow Indians view a large family as a source of pride and will be proudly showing off the size of their families on floats designed for that purpose.

Following the parade, attendees will also be able to take a tour of the Crow Indian Tipi Village. The event has been called the “Tipi Capital of the World” due to the 1,200 to 1,500 tipis erected during the affair. Guides are on hand to ensure no one gets lost!

All of this leads up to one of the highlights of the festival, the INFR sanctioned All-Indian rodeo. The show will feature professional cowboys preparing for the National Finals Rodeo and the Indian National Finals Rodeo. Daily Pari-mutuel Horse Racing and Indian-Relay horse races also help make this one of the best exhibitions of Indian horsemanship in the world.

The festival will also feature a traditional Pow Wow, featuring a Grand Entry of Dancers showing off the finest in American Indian craftsmanship.

The festival closes with a Dance-Through-Camp, also known as the “Parade Dance.” The Apsáalooke ritual is a prayer for the Crow Tribe, future camps, and the coming year.

The fair runs August 15-19 at Crow Agency, 60 miles south of Billings off of I-90 in Montana.

More information on the Crow Fair can be found at the event website. More information on COTR can be found at their website and Facebook page. Follow AOCS on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/opencurrency.