REGINA - Downtown Regina was filled with the sights and sounds of National Indigenous People's Day.
The celebrations took place in Victoria Park and Pat Fiacco Plaza on Wednesday morning, with a day filled with entertainment, dancing, and food from 10 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. June 21.
It commenced with the Grand Entry followed by entertainment from the likes of the Kawacatoose Boys, the Creeland Dancers, the Sila Singers, Dean Smith and Band, and emcee Zoey Roy. Dignitaries including Mayor Sandra Masters, Minister of Corrections and Policing Christine Tell, Opposition Leader Carla Beck, and several First Nations and Métis representatives and leaders were on hand.
There was also plenty of food, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, with the Farmer's Market also happening in conjunction. An estimated 3,000 to 5,000 people were expected to attend.
That morning also saw the official dedication of the Path to Reconciliation, a mural located on the Scarth Street mall in downtown Regina.
It is an eight foot wide path designed by lead artists Gianna Dunbar and Brandy Jones, and supported by Elder Brenda Dubois and Culture-Indigenous Art Advisor Audrey Dreaver of First Nations University of Canada. The project is a collaborative initiative of the Creative City Centre and Regina Downtown, with a goal of contributing to reconciliation efforts in Regina and the province.