35th Annual BAIC Pow-Wow - Baltimore, MD

[between2worlds]

A week ago we were just getting home from BAIC. I'm finally caught up with work :-P As always, we had a great time - the Balto area folks are always so friendly and welcoming.

Stoney Creek and Southern Sun did a helluva job.

WhoMe is an AMAZING Hoop Dancer... and yes Becca, I got LOTS of pics just for you ;-)

The change of venue from Patterson Park (outdoors) to the Fairgrounds (indoors) was, on balance, a positive thing. I will say I miss being outdoors. Dancing on concrete is, well, dancing on concrete. I do NOT miss the port-a-johns (Although we appreciated the fact that the committee never forgot to get accessible port-a-johns for the Patterson Park powwows - having to maneuver around in a port-a- john from/back to a chair is nasty. Flush toilets are much better). I also do NOT miss being at the mercy of the horrid weather this part of the world has.

The weather in this area can be brutal - it's not just an old saying: "it's not the heat, it's the humidity!" Heat+humidity is health threatening for some folks. This year was not as bad as it could've been as far as heat goes. It did rain almost all day on Friday. The rain would've kept us from going for Friday and Saturday (power chairs make an impressive mud hole when the ground is even just a little wet)... so I was just as glad the pw was indoors :-)

The new venue was easy to give directions for - the Fairgrounds are right next to the freeway AND literally right at the light rail station (no bus needed). Plenty of parking too. Patterson Park was a 2 hour roundtrip by bus (actually needed 2 buses each way) from the pw hotel. The Fairgrounds are literally across the street from the Red Roof Inn and the Holiday Inn is only a 15 minute walk away.

We stayed at the Holiday Inn: free coffee, 3 restaurants (Chili's, Macaroni Grill and Bob Evans) and a 7-11 less than a block away, another restaurant and grocery store about a mile down the road, a swimming pool (wheelie accessible!!), room service, gorgeous rooms with comfy beds and plenty of pillows, kick-a$$ a/c, free wi-fi and a dynamite staff made our stay like a resort vacation.

If next year's pw venue is the Fairgrounds again, I hope the committee will have Holiday Inn as one of the "special rate" hotels.

As for the powwow there were more intertribals this year... YAY! No contesting on Friday so it was really laid back. We saw quite a few new faces, saw some of the usual folks, and missed seeing those that didn't make it this year. Loved that young chicken dancer with the green mirror board !!

Although the turnout was really light for Friday night, I liked that the competitions were spread between Saturday and Sunday.

There were less vendors this year BUT you could go cruise the vendors without missing "the action" because the vendors were all close-by the arena (Instead of like Patterson where it seemed like you had to choose between watching the dancers/special guests/intertribals OR shopping the vendors - go to one and you missed the others).

Even though we don't get much from the food vendors (we had some "bad" food at the first BAIC we attended with unfortunate consequences), the area where they were located was good. Food vendors always result in a traffic tie-up of people and having that area tucked out of the way was great.

The change of date was nice for me too. August and September are months I need to be able to clone myself just to get everything done. Even to get a little time off in August I have to put in 18 hour days fore-and-aft of the "vacation" time plus drag the laptop with me (hard to call it a vacation when you're putting in 6 hours from the hotel room). July is not so busy. June or October would be even better :-)

Anyway, had a great time.... thanks to everyone whose hard work made it all possible.

[NDNQt]

I forgot - the hoop dancer is none other than WhoMe! Thanks~Hope to see some of ya there. Be safe on the roads.

[NDNQt]

Directions

Take I-95 South
Take the exit onto I-695 W toward Towson Take exit 24 to merge onto I-83 N Take exit 16A to merge onto W Timonium Rd Turn left at MD-45/York Rd Turn left into Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd, Lutherville-Timonium, MD 21093



Take I-95 North
Take the exit onto I-695 W toward Towson Slight right at I-83 N (signs for I-83) Take exit 16A to merge onto W Timonium Rd Turn left at MD-45/York Rd Turn left into Fairgrounds 2200 York Rd, Lutherville-Timonium, MD 21093


The hotel is as soon as you come off the exit.

[NDNQt]

Hand Drum Contest

The hand drum contest is 1 man.

[NDNQt]

I will be opening registration at approximately 4 Friday.

[NDNQt]

Dancer & singer family passes are $10

Can't wait to see you WhoMe - anybody else coming?

[WhoMe]

I believe registration is $5 for dancers, $25 for drums, parking is free as far as I know (it is a fairgrounds so it should be), admission is $6 a day, a weekend pass for $15. I don't know how much a weekend pass will be for family, I'll have to ask.

Thank you. See you there!

[NDNQt]

I believe registration is $5 for dancers, $25 for drums, parking is free as far as I know (it is a fairgrounds so it should be), admission is $6 a day, a weekend pass for $15. I don't know how much a weekend pass will be for family, I'll have to ask.

[WhoMe]

A couple of more questions:

What is the registration fee?
Is the parking free/
What is general admission fee?

[NDNQt]

This is from the website. Remember it won't be followed to the letter but we are usually pretty good at following the schedule.

Schedule Information

Friday, July 17, 2009
12:00 PM Gates Open // Trader and Food Vendors Open
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Craft demonstrations
1:00 PM – 1:30 PM Social Dancing // Special Entertainment
1:30 PM – 2:00 PM Arvel Bird, 2007 NAMMY Artist of the Year
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM Craft Demonstrations
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM Social Dancing // Special Entertainment
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Craft Demonstrations
5:00 PM – 5:30 PM Arvel Bird, 2007 NAMMY Artist of the Year
5:30 PM – 6:00 PM 1st Call Grand Entry // Drum Warm-up // Announcements
6:00 PM – 6:30 PM Grand Entry // Flag Song // Prayer // Veterans Honor Song
6:30 PM – 7:00 PM Intertribal Dancing
7:00 PM – 7:30 PM Arvel Bird, 2007 NAMMY Artist of the Year
7:30 PM – 9:00 PM Social Dancing // Intertribal Dancing
9:00 PM Closing Song


Saturday, July 18, 2009
10:00 AM Gates Open // Trader and Food Vendors Open
10:00 AM – 11:00 AMCraft Demonstrations
11:00 AM – 11:30 AMArvel Bird, 2007 NAMMY Artist of the Year
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM1st Call Grand Entry // Drum Warm-up // Announcements
12:00 NOON Grand Entry // Flag Song // Prayer // Veterans Honor Song
12:30 PM – 1:00 PM Intertribal Dancing
1:00 PM – 1:30 PM Special Presentations // VIPS
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM Exhibition Dancing
2:30 PM – 3:00 PM Arvel Bird, 2007 Artist of the Year
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM Competition Dancing // Intertribal Dancing
5:00 PM – 5:45 PM Fry Bread eating/making Contest
5:45 PM – 6:15 PM Arvel Bird, 2007 NAMMY Artist of the Year
6:15 PM – 6:45 PM Special Entertainment // Hoop Dancer
7:00 PM – 7:30 PM Grand Entry // Veterans Honor Song // Retire Colors
7:30 PM – 9:00 PM Intertribal Dancing // Competition Dancing // Social Dancing
9:00 PM Closing Song


Sunday, July 19, 2009
10:00 AM Gates Open
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM Arvel Bird, 2007 NAMMY Artist of the Year
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Craft Demonstrations
1:00 PM Grand Entry // Flag Song // Prayer // Veterans Honor Song
1:30 PM – 2:00 PM Intertribal Dancing // Exhibitions
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM Competition Dancing
3:30 PM – 4:00 PM Hand Drum Contest
4:00 PM – 4:30 PM Arvel Bird, 2007 Artist of the Year // BREAK for Dancers
4:30 PM – 5:45 PM Competition Dancing // Run-offs
6:15 PM – 6:45 PM Announcement of winners // Closing Remarks
7:00 PM Closing Song

[eap7]

Thanks Becky!

If anyone's looking for hotels- I booked the AAA rate at the Red Roof Inn host hotel for $71.99 a few days ago. You just have to ask for the AAA rate if you're a member. It was about $20 cheaper than the initial hotel price!

[WhoMe]

Becky,

What time are the grand entries and what time do you estimate it will end each day?

[NDNQt]

I'll email you a copy now.

[between2worlds]

Becky - you got any e-flyers for BAIC? I keep checking the website but nada: not even a schedule of events... I usually post 'em up here at work. Last year there were a half dozen co-workers and their families who came up to see what pws were all about :-).

[NDNQt]

If you register on Friday your registration is free. No points given on Friday just the incentive of free registration. Registration will close at 11:55 Saturday morning and contest will start that afternoon.