The second biennial AAK’W ROCK FESTIVAL, a celebration of Indigenous music and culture, will be held once again, Thursday through Saturday,  September 21st to 23^rd in Juneau. Presented by the Tlingit&Haida Tribes and the Juneau Arts and Humanities Council, the three day musical experience features 25 musical acts representing 35 Indigenous cultures from across the globe, honoring music and traditions from around the world. It is Alaska’s only global Indigenous music festival and the only one in the United States. The event is held on the ancestral homelands of the Lingít (People of the Tides) of the Áakʼw Ḵwáan (People of the Little Lake), also known as Juneau, Alaska.

Áakʼw Rock will feature performances from such popular Indigenous headliners as Snotty Nose Rez Kids, The Hallucination, Ya Tseen, Khu. eex, Pamyua, as well as singer-songwriters, hip-hop artists, jazz, funk, country and soul, EDM, among many others from limitless genres. For tickets, full lineup and more information, visit  https://aakwrockfest.com/. The Festival honors cultural existence while rocking the stage.

“Aak’w Rock is more than just a celebration of Indigenous music and culture; it’s a vital platform for artists to showcase their talent, connect with new audiences, and inspire the next generation of Indigenous musicians. As a beacon of hope and a symbol of resilience, this festival reminds us that music has the power to heal, unite, and transform our world.” says Festival Creative Director and Aak’w Rock founder (also a co-founder of the acclaimed group Pamyua,) Qacung Blanchett. “The Festival provides a vital platform for artists to showcase their talent, connect with new audiences, and inspire the next generation of Indigenous musicians,” Blanchett continued.

One of the goals of Áak’w Rock is to create opportunities to overcome the historical under-representation of Indigenous performances. “The Festival’s music is rooted in ancestral understanding, knowledge, respect, and cultural values, while breaking barriers and boxes of what it means to be an Indigenous artist.  For far too long Indigenous and First Nation artists have performed in the peripheries of the arts industry,” Blanchett said.

Part of Aak’w Rock’s mission is also to change the narrative for Indigenous performance now and in the future, by amplifying Indigenous excellence and voices to be heard for generations to come. 

  Alaska, festival, juneau, music, rock