Grand Portage Rendezvous Days brings games, reenactors and traditions to monument

Grand Portage National Monument will host its annual Rendezvous Days Aug. 7-9, bringing nearly 250 volunteer reenactors from across the country to Grand Portage. The Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa will host the Rendezvous Days Powwow nearby, within walking distance of the monument.

Friday and Saturday will feature full schedules of activities and games, ranging from lacrosse to live music.

“This year our theme is going to be early indigenous and colonial games and entertainment,” Steve Veit of the National Monument told WTIP. “We’re really looking forward to it. It’s going to be a great time.”

Veit said reenactors will give presentations on the featured games before giving visitors an opportunity to participate. Longtime Rendezvous Days activities, including blacksmithing and tinsmithing demonstrations, will also return.

Of the games being demonstrated, lacrosse will likely be among the most familiar to visitors. The weekend will feature a lacrosse match as well as ongoing demonstrations of lacrosse stick-making.

“It’s hard to take in everything because there’s always going to be something going on every hour,” Veit said.

The annual Grand Portage Rendezvous Days Powwow is held in conjunction with Rendezvous Days and features traditional song dances and ceremonies.

WTIP spoke with Veit about Rendezvous Days and Grand Portage National Monument’s initiative to become certified as an International Dark Sky Park. Audio of the conversation can be found below.

Josh Hinke August 7, 2026