Residents of Chestermere will have the chance to experience a vibrant celebration of Indigenous culture when the Lead by Example Powwow comes to John Peake Park on July 8, 2026. The free event, running from 1 to 8 p.m., honours the memory of Kristian Kakato’si Ayoungman, a 24-year-old Siksika Nation member who was an elite hockey player and champion powwow dancer before his death in 2019.
Organized by the Kakato’si Kristian Ayoungman Foundation, this marks the fourth annual powwow and the first time it will be held in Chestermere. Kristian was fatally shot on March 17, 2019, on a highway near Strathmore following a dispute over cigarettes. His mother, Melodie Ayoungman-Hunt, turned her grief into a mission to heal divisions between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.
Grand entry begins at 1 p.m., kicking off an afternoon of traditional dancing, drumming, storytelling, and cultural demonstrations. The event draws elite dancers from across Alberta, Canada, and the United States, and invited drum groups include Blacklodge, Ho Chunk Station, White Tail Boys, and Wild Rose. Visitors can also browse craft vendors, enjoy food trucks, and watch the 2026 Miss Lead by Example Princess Pageant.
The City of Chestermere has welcomed the powwow as a chance to strengthen ties with Siksika Nation on whose traditional territory the city sits. “We are especially grateful to Melodie Ayoungman-Hunt, Steve Hunt and the Kakato’si Kristian Ayoungman Foundation for the vision, courage and dedication behind this event,” the city said in a statement.
Everyone is welcome to attend and organizers encourage families to bring their own chairs. The Lead by Example Powwow has grown from a local memorial into a major cultural gathering that promotes reconciliation through shared celebration of Kristian’s legacy.
