When are dances held? What is the best time of year to visit?
1) The Hopi ceremonial season is not on a fixed calendar. They follow the lunar cycles and schedule their dances accordingly. Usually a village or clan will announce a dance one or two weeks in advance. It is impossible to know which kachinas will appear or what village is going to put on a dance, but there are general seasons where certain dances take place. For example, the Home Dances are held in the middle of the summer (late July / early August) throughout all of the different villages. Social dances, like the basket dance, are held in October. Bean Dances and other related ceremonies (some of them restricted) are held in February. 2) The best time of year to visit depends on your interests. If you primarily want to see kachina dances but can’t stand cold weather, plan to visit during the Home Dances (see #1), if history and culture in general appeal to you, any time is good. Many people think Arizona is HOT, but not at an elevation of 6500 feet! The Hopi reservation ranges from 1
