May 16, 2023

TREATY 1 TERRITORY, WINNIPEG, Man. On June 17, join APTN at The Forks in Winnipeg to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day (NIPD) with APTN Indigenous Day Live (IDL). This year, IDL will honour the next generation of Indigenous leaders under the theme of “Celebrating Our Youth.” IDL 2023 will feature a full day of free activities for the entire family, culminating in a joyous concert that will broadcast live across Turtle Island via multiple platforms. 

Starting at 1 p.m. CT, visitors of all ages will be able to take part in traditional demonstrations, watch a Métis fiddle competition, browse works from talented artisans, enjoy tasty snacks from the on-site food vendors and much more. Children and youth in attendance will get to explore an area just for them: the APTN Kids Zone. New to IDL this year is a pre-show stage hosted by Michael Redhead Champagne from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., featuring cultural and musical performances from Brandi Vezina, Lisa Odjig and Artcirq.

The free evening concert, hosted by Anishinaabe rapper Samian and Métis/Saulteaux-Cree actress Jessica Matten, will feature show-stopping performances from The Halluci Nation, Laura Niquay, Mumu Fresh, Aysanabee, Digging Roots and more. The multilingual concert will kick off on the main stage at 7 p.m. CT.

Audiences can tune in to this special broadcast live at 7 p.m. CT (8 p.m. ET) on APTN, AMI-tv, the APTN YouTube channel and Indigenous radio stations MBC Radio and NCI FM. An encore presentation of the IDL concert will air across all APTN channels on June 21 as part of the network’s special programming for NIPD, and audiences can also listen to it that day on 95.7 ELMNT FM, 106.5 ELMNT FM and CKLB Radio. IDL 2023 will be available for streaming on APTN lumi beginning on June 21.

APTN Indigenous Day Live 2023 will highlight the important role Indigenous youth play in shaping our collective future,” said APTN CEO Monika Ille. “The event will serve as an opportunity for APTN to raise young people’s voices through dance, music and visual art. We are so excited to showcase the immense talent of Indigenous communities across the country.” 

Generous financial support from the Government of Canada has enabled IDL to bring communities together in celebration of NIPD. 

“It’s wonderful to highlight our talented youth in honour of National Indigenous Peoples Day!” said the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Pablo Rodriguez. “Young people inspire us and push us to keep our minds open. Thanks to them—and for them—we will never cease our efforts to ensure a better world for future generations. This celebration, which lets us take another step down the path of reconciliation, is an occasion you won’t want to miss!” 

APTN is proud to present this edition of IDL and would like to acknowledge its other supporters and funders: TD Bank Group, NCI FM, The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, Casinos of Winnipeg, CUPE, CUPE Manitoba, Manitoba Hydro, The North West Company, the Nuclear Waste Management Organization, The Winnipeg Foundation, Unifor and CN.

Visit APTN’s Media Centre or the IDL website for complete schedules and additional information! 

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About APTN Indigenous Day Live
APTN Indigenous Day Live (IDL) brings Indigenous and non-Indigenous people together in celebration of National Indigenous Peoples Day (NIPD) and the summer solstice. Through cultural and musical performances, IDL honours the unparalleled achievements of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples across Turtle Island. Each year, IDL presents a refreshing lineup of collaborations in English, French and a variety of Indigenous languages. Held annually since 2007 on the Saturday closest to NIPD, the multi-platform broadcast is available to audiences in Canada via APTN and APTN lumi. To join the conversation any time, use the hashtag #IDL2023 or #JAD2023. 

About APTN
APTN launched in 1999 as the first national Indigenous broadcaster in the world. Since then, the network has become a global leader in programming that celebrates the rich diversity of Indigenous Peoples across Turtle Island and beyond. A respected non-profit and charitable broadcaster, APTN shares authentic stories in English, French and a variety of Indigenous languages with nearly 10 million Canadian households. APTN proudly features over 80% Canadian content and inspires audiences via multiple platforms, including its Indigenous-focused streaming service, APTN lumi

Media Contact:
Joëlle Saltel
Manager of Communications, APTN
(431) 557-9909
[email protected]