An Apsáalooke Cultural Day Celebrates Buffalo’s Original Residents and Generates Community Investment

Buffalo’s Longmire Days festival has long served as a model for converting visitor spending into local investment—generating tourism dollars that the Longmire Foundation redistributes to local nonprofits such as Johnson County Friends Feeding Friends, Johnson County Search & Rescue, and the Buffalo Senior Center. But the event has struggled to expand its cultural programming and grow its local economic impact, a problem festival staff set out to solve. After coming up with a unique solution, they reached out to LOR for support. LOR’s funding will help the Longmire Foundation contract Apsáalooke cultural presenters, a host drum, and an event coordinator to launch Apsáalooke Cultural Day as part of the festival. Presentations, performances, relay races, and demonstrations will celebrate the traditions of the Crow people while drawing additional visitors to Buffalo, generating revenue that can be reinvested in the community.