In just a few days, many families will close out the last weekend of the summer with the time-honored custom of enjoying steaks and hotdogs grilled over a bed of red-hot charcoal.

Just outside the shores of Dowagiac’s Rodgers Lake, hundreds of Native American dancers, singers and spectators from across the U.S. and Canada will spend Labor Day Weekend celebrating with an American tradition that predates barbecuing.

The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi will host the 30th annual Kee-Boon-Mein-Kaa Pow Wow on Saturday and Sunday, at its pow wow arena located at its Rodgers Lake campus, at 58620 Sink Rd. Parking and admission to the event is free, and is open to the public.

The end of summer is a time of traditional celebration for the Potawatomi, as the name “Kee-boon-mein-kaa” refers to the end of huckleberry harvest. To commemorate this occasion, the Pokagon Band hosts a massive competitive pow wow, inviting Native Americans from the Great Lakes and beyond to participate in different dance and drum competitions, with cash prizes offered to the top performers.

The Pokagon pow wow was revived by tribal leadership 30 years ago, and was held for many years at St. Patrick’s County Park in Indiana before being moved to the grounds outside the tribe’s headquarters in Dowagiac.

To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the pow wow, organizers have set out to make the event larger than ever, said Paige Risser, director of communications with the tribe.

“This is an acknowledgment of the growth of this event,” Risser said. “It’s grown as the tribe has.”

Organizers have sweetened the pot for this year’s anniversary, doubling the prize money offered in each category, as well as offering a payout to competitors who place in the top four versus just the top three like in previous years.

“It’s a big anniversary, but we also want the event to be more of premier pow wow in the Great Lakes region that will attract more dancers,” Risser said.

The event will also feature a singing category for the first time as well, where teams of six or more, each sharing a single drum, will compete against each other, Risser said.

The jubilation will extend beyond just people participating in the actual ceremonies. Several Pokagon families will offer free lessons to visitors on how to create black ash baskets, a tradition deeply rooted in Potawatomi culture, Risser said.

As with prior pow wows, visitors will be able to purchase native artwork, jewelry, crafts, and food during the event. Forty-five vendors have signed up to participate in this year’s event, Risser said.

The festivities kick off on Friday morning, with the 8th annual Women’s Water Walk. The ceremonies began at the show arena the following day, with two Grand Entries (the formal start of singing and dancing) taking place at noon and at 6 p.m. on Saturday, and third Grand Entry at noon on Sunday.

For more details, visit the pow wow’s website at www.pokagonpowwow.com.