The Free Indian Market emphasizes the “free” aspect of the event: free booth spaces for artists and their families, free admission and free trade. Over 500 Indigenous artists will participate in this year’s Free Indian Market, which takes place August 15 and 16 in Santa Fe’s Federal Park, marking the fair’s eighth edition.
Visitors will find a wide array of Native American art and objects for sale, including handmade jewelry, pottery, weavings and textiles, sculpture and carvings, paintings, prints and more, staged in a beautiful park-like setting,
Multi-media artist Roger Perkins (Mohawk) shows his artwork at the 2025 Free Indian Market.
“Family booth spaces invite Native grandparents, parents, children and grandchildren to share in a family friendly environment,” notes an event press release. “As a result, Native languages are spoken in public, cultural heritage is celebrated and traditional arts are promoted side-by-side with contemporary arts, encouraging creative innovations.”
There will also be an informational booth to help raise awareness about the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) crisis plaguing American Indian communities.
The philosophy of the Free Indian Market is to “provide a ‘hand up,’ rather than a ‘handout,’” and foster economic self-sufficiency among Native artists. While the spirit of the event will stay the same, the show’s founders Gregory and Angie Schaaf are stepping down after seven years serving as volunteer producers. The market’s new producers are father-and-son team John Gonzales and Leyland Gonzales from San Ildefonso Pueblo. A graduate of Stanford University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, John brings decades of experience to the role as a former pueblo governor, tribal council member, and president of the National Congress of American Indians. He is also a potter.
“[Now the show is] Native owned and Native operated,” says Gregory Schaaf.
John adds, “I have some big moccasins to fill, but with the enormous support and volunteer base Greg and Angie built, I’m confident the show will continue on.”
The Free Indian Market is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Visit the show website for details. —
August 15-16, 2026
Eighth Annual Free Indian Market
Federal Park
106 S. Federal Place, Santa Fe, NM 87501
www.freeindianmarket.org
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