A new partnership with the Smithsonian adds a national dimension while keeping Wabanaki voices at the event’s center.
Jul 10, 2026
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Edward Jones Financial Advisor: Elise N. Frank.
BAR HARBOR— Some festivals entertain. Others enhance and expand the conversation.
This weekend, the Abbe Museum’s Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas aims to do both, bringing Wabanaki and Native artists, performers and thinkers to the College of the Atlantic for two days of art, music, and dialogue.
Each year the multi-day summer festival “centers Wabanaki and Native thought leadership through panels, performances, and a Northeastern Native arts market,” according to a press release from the Abbe.
This year will no different.
However, there is a new collaboration this year.
The Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage’s 2026 Of the People: Smithsonian Festival of Festivals is collaborating with the Abbe.
“This collaboration places the Abbe Museum’s Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas within a broader national conversation about ongoing cultural practice, while remaining grounded in Wabanaki leadership and place-based knowledge,” said Betsy Richards, executive director at the Abbe Museum. “Being the only New England-based festival participating reflects the importance of Indigenous-led platforms that support cultural continuity and cross-cultural dialogue in this region.”
Panel programs begin on Saturday and include a focus on “Water is Life,” “Native Freedom of Expression,” “Native Photography as Self-Determination,” and “Honoring 250 Years of Wabanaki Veterans.”
“Smithsonian Folklife will collaborate with the Abbe on select panel conversations and performance programming, while Dawnland remains fully grounded in Wabanaki voices, perspectives, and shared authority,” according to the press release.
2026 Panel Programming
Water is Life
Saturday, July 11 | 2:30-3:20 p.m.
For Wabanaki peoples, water is not simply a resource but a sacred, living relative essential to cultural, spiritual, environmental, and physical well-being. This panel explores the deep connections between people and waterways, including cultural teachings, legal struggles, and environmental responsibilities, while highlighting how the health of these waters shapes the well-being of all.
Moderated by Jennifer Neptune (Penobscot), and featuring Samuel St. John (Maliseet), Chris Johnsen Soctomah (Passamaquoddy)
Native Freedom of Expression
Saturday, July 11 | 4:00-4:50 p.m.
As debates around freedom of expression evolve across the United States, this panel examines these issues through a Native lens. Panelists will explore how Indigenous communities navigate and respond to challenges with resilience and creativity, while also addressing the historical and ongoing legal barriers that have shaped Native peoples’ access to First Amendment rights.
Moderated by Esther Lobrado (North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians), and featuring Daniel French (Mohawk), Mikhu Paul (Maliseet)
Native Photography as Self-Determination
Sunday, July 12 | 11:00-11:50 a.m.
In conjunction with the Abbe Museum’s exhibition Holding the Light: Contemporary Wabanaki Photography, this panel brings together Native photographers to reflect on reclaiming the medium from its colonial past. Artists will share how their work challenges stereotypes, reclaims representation, and helps shape new narratives and Native futures.
Moderated by Jeremy Dennis (Shinnecock), and featuring Maya Attean (Penobscot/Passamaquoddy), Nolan Altvater (Passamaquoddy)
Honoring 250 Years of Wabanaki Veterans
Sunday, July 12 | 2:30-3:20 p.m.
Wabanaki warriors allied with American colonists in 1775, launching a tradition of service that has continued through every U.S. conflict. That same year, the new nation signed its first treaty—the Watertown Treaty—with the Wabanaki Tribes. This panel reflects on that legacy alongside the realities of denied rights and sovereignty, offering perspectives on service, sacrifice, and the responsibilities carried forward as the nation marks its 250th anniversary.
Moderated by Donald Soctomah (Passamaquoddy), and featuring Donna Loring (Penobscot), Darren Ripley (Passamaquoddy), Shane Hill (Mi’kmaq)
2026 Performances and Programming
Alongside the panels and 50+ artist Northeastern Native arts market, the 2026 Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas will also present a dynamic, two-day program of live performances and events.
Saturday highlights include a book signing by MacArthur “Genius” Award–winning Passamaquoddy master basket maker Jeremy Frey and a featured performance by Mohawk recording artist Daniel French, co-founder of Las Cafeteras, whose blend of hip hop, L.A. Latin, and Indigenous futures music draws on his Native and Mexican roots to build bridges even the most divided nation can dance on. Additional performances include Tania Morey (Maliseet) and Burnurwubskek Drum (Penobscot), and Smithsonian Folklife Festival alums Mohawk women’s singing group Kontiwennenhá:wi.
Sunday’s lineup features a mainstage performance by Mi’kmaq storyteller, artist, and historian Jennifer Pictou, brought to life with large-scale puppetry by Nance Parker. The day also includes presentations by Passamaquoddy storyteller and artist Geo Neptune and music from Nipmuc flutist Hawk Henries.
Additional marketplace and performer announcements will be posted to @abbemuseum on social media and at www.DawnlandFestival.org.
The Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas is free and open to the public. The festival takes place July 11-12, 2026, on the campus of the College of the Atlantic, 105 Eden Street, Bar Harbor, Maine. Registration is available at: www.DawnlandFestival.org.
This project received funding from the Smithsonian’s “Our Shared Future: 250,” a Smithsonian-wide initiative supported by private philanthropy and created to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary and advance the Smithsonian vision for the next 250 years.
Other major funders include: Henry Luce Foundation, Elmina B. Sewall Foundation, Open Meadows Foundation, Terra Foundation for American Art, Onion Foundation, New England Foundation for the Arts, and Dawnland LLC.
Updates and festival information will be shared at www.DawnlandFestival.org and @abbemuseum on social platforms.
This project received funding from the Smithsonian’s “Our Shared Future: 250,” a Smithsonian-wide initiative supported by private philanthropy and created to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary and advance the Smithsonian vision for the next 250 years.
LINKS TO LEARN MORE
All photos Bar Harbor Story from 2025.
More Than a Festival: Dawnland is a Gathering of Hearts, Art, Stories, and Ideas
Follow us on Facebook or BlueSky or Instagram. And as a reminder, you can easily view all our past stories and press releases here.
Bar Harbor Story is a mostly reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Thanks for being here with us and being part of our community too!
Thanks for reading Bar Harbor Story! This post is public so feel free to share it.
If you’d like to donate to help support us, you can, but no pressure! Just click here (about how you can give) or here (a direct link), which is the same as the button below.
If you’d like to sponsor the Bar Harbor Story, you can! Learn more here.
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR COMMITMENT TO YOUR COMMUNITY.
Help us keep bringing your community free, daily, local news.
Make a monthly donation
Make a yearly donation
Choose an amount
Or enter a custom amount
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
Discover more from Bar Harbor Story
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.