Cheyenne Frontier Days Foundation previews Morning Star Indian Village; opening planned for 2026

Cheyenne Frontier Days Foundation and park leaders presented plans for Morning Star Indian Village, a new interpretive and performance area intended to honor Plains tribes and expand educational access beyond the 10-day festival.

Affie Ellis, a Cheyenne resident and foundation board member, told the council the project grew from volunteers’ observations about existing conditions in the Indian village—insufficient shade, inadequate restroom and vendor facilities, poor drainage because the village sits at the lowest part of the park, and limited ADA accessibility. Ellis said donors encouraged the group to "dream bigger" and that organizers worked with dancers and volunteers to identify priorities.

Renee Middleton, executive director of the Cheyenne Frontier Days Foundation, said Morning Star Indian Village will be "a one-of-a-kind living experience honoring the tribes of the American Plains" and described features organizers plan to build: a Sunken Dance Arbor terraced and shaded to seat up to 800 guests for dance demonstrations and interpretive programming; vendor booths for authentic crafts;…