We apologize there are no more tickets available for the 50th Anniversary Gala. We wish we had enough space for everyone. Thank you for supporting the Minneapolis American Indian Center!

This year, the Minneapolis American Indian Center is celebrating 50 years of being the heart of the Twin Cities urban Native community, and we are honoring the milestone with a gala on Thursday, September 25, 2025.

All are invited to come celebrate half a century of community, culture, and connection at our newly renovated and expanded building.

The evening will feature performances by Native artists and will be MC'd by Bobby Wilson (Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota) of the hit television shows Reservation Dogs and Rutherford Falls and the Indigenous comedy group The 1491s. There will also be a silent auction and dinner catered by Gatherings Cafe, which provides healthy, accessible Indigenous food to the community.

The gala is an opportunity to celebrate 50 years of providing essential services to the Twin Cities urban Native community and an opportunity to look to the future. For half a century, the center's uplifted the community through youth, elder, and intergenerational programs that provide stability, strengthen connection to culture and community, improve health and wellness, achieve academic success, and establish employment pathways. Our programs and services are provided at no cost to participants.

Event Time:
Doors open: 5:00 p.m.
Entertainment, silent auction, and mocktails: 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Dinner and program: 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Location:
Minneapolis American Indian Center
1530 East Franklin Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55404

Tickets:
A physical ticket is not needed for this event. Your name is on the guest list if you purchased a ticket. If you were invited as a guest without registration, please let us know your name and who invited you at check-in.

Agenda:

5:00 p.m. — Doors open
5:00 - 7:00 p.m. — Mocktails and Entertainment
- Silent auction and star quilt raffle - Niibi Hall
- Drum and dance performance - Grandparents Room - Lumhe “Micco” Sampson, Jada Lussier, and the White Elk Singers (5:15 p.m.)
- Aerial performance and live music - Rotunda - Josie Hoffman and Joe Rainey (5:45 p.m.)
- Mocktails and appetizers - Gatherings Cafe
- Emerging Portraits and Indigenous Abstractions exhibits - Two Rivers Gallery
- MAIC program and informational tables - Grandparents Room
- Photo booth
- Woodland Indian Crafts and Gifts Shop
- Tours of the George Morrison Mural - East side of the building

7:00 - 9:00 p.m. - Dinner - Gym
- Dinner - Provided by Gatherings Cafe
- MC - Bobby Wilson - a Peabody award-winning and Emmy-nominated producer, writer, artist, and comedian
- Live music - Jada Brown and Colin Monette
- Prayer - Jerry Dearly
- Drum group - White Elk Singers
- Speeches - MAIC Executive Director Mary LaGarde and MAIC Board Chair Sam Olbekson
- Heart of the Community Award honoring and announcement

Dinner:
Appetizers and mocktails will be available from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. A dinner will be served by Gatherings Cafe at 7:00 p.m. The meal includes salad, an entree, and dessert.

Parking:
There is a free parking lot on the west side of the center. There is also parking available in the University Health Care Center (CUHCC) lot across the street at 2001 Bloomington Ave. and free street parking on 19th Street behind the building. A map detailing parking locations in the area will be emailed to attendees closer to the event date.

Attire:
The evening includes a plated dinner, and we invite people to dress up for the occasion. This includes clothes that reflect and honor attendee's culture, like ribbon skirts and shirts.

Support the event:
We also looking for silent auction items and have numerous opportunities for event sponsorship. To inquire about donating items or experiences for the silent auction, please connect with Joe Regguinti at jregguinti@maicnet.org. To inquire about sponsorship, please connect with Natalie Rademacher at nrademacher@maicnet.org.

Wopida / Miigwech / Thank You

Minneapolis American Indian Center 50th Anniversary Gala

By Minneapolis American Indian Center

Minneapolis American Indian Center 50th Anniversary Gala