Background on This Year's Theme and Logo

Painted Raven’s Annette Abbondanza introduces this year’s theme and logo.

Index

Acknowledging Our Sponsors

It is only through the generosity of our sponsors (corporations and small businesses, individuals, and local and state governments) that we can provide our high quality festival with award winning performers, top flight vendors, and educational exhibitors and workshops, free to the public. In this video, we express our appreciation and acknowledge our sponsors for our 2024 festival.

Getting the Word Out

City of West Melbourne Proclamation Presentation

City of Palm Bay Proclamation Presentation

City of Melbourne Proclamation Presentation

Thursday Evening "Meet & Greet" Social

Sponsored By the Candlewood Suites

Samples of the “Open Mic” fun at the Thursday “Meet & Greet”

The Team Responsible for the 2024 Native Rhythms Festival

[Photos below provided by Native Rhythms Festival’s official 2024 photographer, Lou Seiler.

Contact Lou directly at lseilerjr@outlook.com for permission to republish.]

Performers

Randy Granger

Shelley Morningsong & Fabian Fontenelle

Billy Whitefox

Lowery Begay

CreeAtive Native

Ed WindDancer & Monica Sigala

Jonny Lipford

Painted Raven

Vendors & Exhibitors

Food Vendors

Country Kettler’s Korn

Dusty Joe’s

Fruity Licks

Pita Pyramid

Snyder’s Honey

Wassi Shaved Ice & More 

Flute Maker Vendors

4 Wind Flutes
(Brad Young, flute maker)

Flight Feather Flutes
(represented by the family of the late flute maker, Utah Farris)

Full Moon Flutes
(Kent Tyler, flute maker)

Medicine Wind Music
(George Tortorelli, flute maker)

Red Wind Flutes
(Allen Hollingshead, flute maker)

Turtle Mound Flutes
(John Ellis, flute maker)

Willow Creek Woodcraft
(Peter Churcher, flute maker)

Woodsounds Flutes
(Brent Haines, flute maker)

Yanko Enterprises
(Allan Yanko, flute maker)

In Memory of Utah Farris

Arts & Crafts Vendors

Backwoods
(Susie Gingras)

Creative Graphics by Eva
(Eva Oldman)

Lil Gail’s Native Trade and Indigenous Lifestyle Brand
(Buddy Jones)

Native Andes
(Jaime Chavez)

Northwest Trader
(Paul Mueller)

OldRock Creations
(George & Lisa OldRock)

Pine Away Baskets
(Carol Crotts & Rhonda Hasner)

RedHanded Trade
(Pamela Bennett)

Ruth Ann’s Southwest Trreasures
(Ruth Ann Motley)

Sicanni

Sunka Beads
(Graciano Viruet)

Tracking Natives LLC
(Luis Cuervo)

Trailwalker Crafts
(Dean & Tanya Morrison)

The Wickiup
(Yvonne Long)

Wild Sage – Native American Jewelry
(Paul & Natalie Mitchell)

Performer Vendors

Billy Whitefox

CreeAtive Native

Jonny Lipford
(Horizons Flute Store)

Painted Raven

Randy Granger

Shelley Morningsong & Fabian Fortenelle

Sponsor Vendors

Northrop Grumman

Sol Essence   (Golf Carts- Unlimited)

Exhibitors

Brevard Backyard Beekeepers, Inc.

Brevard County – Solid Waste Recycle

Florida Right to Clean Water

Companion Animal Care of Brevard County

Enchanted Forest Sanctuary

Field Manor Museum

UF Florida Master Gardener

Green Gables House

Brevard County Save Our Lagoon

Scout Troop 520

Department of Veterans Affairs
(Veterans Crisis Line)

Department of Veterans Affairs
(National Cemetery Administration)

Department of Veterans Affairs
(Orlando VA Health Care System – OVAHCS)

Zonta Club of Melbourne

Jim Sawgrass presents "East Meets West"

2024 "Best Booth" Award Winner

Each year since 2010, select members of the Native Rhythms Festival organizing committee have visited all of the various booths in the Vendor Village to select whay they consider the “Best Booth“. The winner is awarded the giant traveling flute trophy (created by Mike Knight) and afforded the honor of displaying it for the next year, and awarded a complementary vendor registration the following year. For 2024, the “Best Booth” award goes to Dean and Tanya Morrison of Trailwalker Crafts. Congratulations Dan and Tanya.

Competitions

Artists' Competition

2024 Artists’ Competition – All Entrants

2024 Artists’ Competition – The Winners

1st Place – Utah Farris (represented by his daughter Luanna Kanada and son Robert Rodgers)

2nd Place – Leslie Tyler

3rd Place – Paul Mueller

The other entries

Flute Makers' Competition

2024 Flute Makers’ Competition Winners

(L to R) Allen Hollingshead (3rd), Brent Haines (2nd), Kent Tyler (1st)

1st – Kent Tyler

2nd – Brent Haines

3rd – Allen Hollingshead

Paula Ellis Memorial Flute Players' Competition

2024 Flute Players’ Competition Winners

(L to R) David Reeves, Jr. (3rd), Christina Noordover (1st), Alan Southerland (2nd), Byron Ellis

1st Place – Christina Noordover

2nd Place – David Reeves, Jr.

3rd Place – Alan Southerland

Workshops

Anne Fay – Introduction to Peyote Stitch

Ed WindDancer & Monica Sigala – Chasing WindDancer

Tom Ransom – Flutes in a World of Electronics

Jonny Lipford – Crafting Songs from Snippets

Joyce Bugaiski – Indian Picture Writing – A Children’s Workshop

Lowery Begay – Understanding Pow Wow Drumming

Painted Raven – Rhythmic Connections: Drumming and Fluting Together

Mark Marquette – Stars and Skylore of Native Americans

Dr. Frankie Rinaldi – The Art of Storytelling

John Ellis – What You Didn’t Know About the Cherokee Trail of Tears

Silent Auction & Raffle

To help fund the considerable expenses involved with staging an event like the Native Rhythms Festival, and keep it free to our visiting guests, each year we conduct a silent auction and raffle with the money raised going to our operating expenses. It is only through the generosity of our vendors, and a few other loyal supporters, that this all works. This year there were almost 100 items on our tables, many of which were the top of the line merchandise from our vendors. Here are some of those items, and thanks to all who contributed and those who competed to take these beautiful items home.