ESCONDIDO, CA (October 27, 2025) — In honor of Indigenous Peoples Day, the Native Youth Foundation hosted the inaugural Native American Heritage Festival on Saturday, October 18, at Grape Day Park in Escondido, California. In collaboration with tribal nations and reservations across Southern California, the event welcomed hundreds of attendees for a lively day filled with live music, cultural demonstrations and immersive activities that honored Indigenous voices and traditions.
The Native Youth Foundation strives to empower and uplift Indigenous youth by fostering pride in their culture and creating spaces to their stories and traditions with the wider public. Hosting the Native American Heritage Festival further amplified the call to recognize, respect and uplift Native history and living Native culture — a vibrant and evolving tradition that continues to shape the region’s future.
“Our inaugural Native American Heritage Festival brought together individuals from all walks of life, showing that when we all come together to learn about each other’s culture, we can grow stronger,” said Keith Vasquez, Vice President of Events for Native Youth Foundation. “We want to thank everyone that helped make this inaugural event possible, and we look forward to continuing to share our culture with our communities.”
The festival opened with an opening bird-singing ceremony, followed by a variety of live performances from Native artists, including Blue Eagle Music, Wyley & Wynter Clay, Native American Youth Band, Trap Native and Tracy Lee Nelson & The Native Blues Band. The event also featured cultural experiences such as beading, weaving and basketry, a Native youth fashion show and storytelling to raise awareness of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP).
A special proclamation and awards ceremony featuring local public officials also took place. The awards were presented by Escondido Mayor Dane White, San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones and representatives from San Diego County District 5, honoring the key organizations and individuals who made the historic festival possible. Escondido Mayor Dane White even presented a special proclamation to Native Youth Foundation representatives proclaiming October 18 as official “Native American Heritage Festival Day” in the city of Escondido.
Supported by sponsors such as Jensen, Banc of California and the United American Indian Involvement, Inc. (UAII), this event united individuals, familiesand communities to celebrate vibrant Native culture and uplift Indigenous youth.The outpouring of community energy left the Native Youth Foundation inspired andalready looking forward to next year’s festivities.
For more information on the Native Youth Foundation, visit NativeYouthFoundation.org. For media inquiries, please contact PR@TeamInnoVision.com. For images and B-roll from the event, see this Google Folder.
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