ICT Staff

September 30 is the National Day of Remembrance for victims and survivors of Indian boarding schools and residential boarding schools across the United States and Canada. 

The day is also known as Orange Shirt Day or National Day for Truth and Reconciliation where hundreds of events are scheduled in both countries throughout the week to honor those who attended and the many who never came home. 

Read the latest stories here and here on ICT’s coverage of Indian boarding schools.

ICT has organized a list of events held on or around this year’s Orange Shirt Day. 

ALASKA

“Orange Shirt Day”
ORGANIZER: Haa Tóoch Lichéesh – We believe it is possible, NAMI Juneau
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 30
TIME: 3:30 – 6:30 p.m. Alaskan Standard Time
WHERE: Zach Gordon Youth Center – 396 Willoughby Ave, Juneau, AK
MORE INFO: Event page 

“Every Child Matters Day (Orange Shirt Day)”
ORGANIZER: Tyson Elementary School
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 30
TIME: 8:30-3:30 p.m. Alaskan Standard Time
WHERE: Richmond Drive, Anchorage, AK
MORE INFO: Event page

ARIZONA

“Orange Shirt Day”
ORGANIZER: NATIVE HEALTH Phoenix
WHEN: Tuesday, Sept. 29
TIME: 5-7 p.m. local time
WHERE: 777 W. Southern Avenue, Mesa, AZ
MORE INFO: Instagram

IOWA

“Orange Shirt Day Solidarity Memorial” 
ORGANIZER: Great Plains Action Society
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 30
TIME: 5-8 p.m. CST
WHERE: GPAS Hub – 810 Maiden Ln., Iowa City, IA 
MORE INFO: Event page 

MICHIGAN

“Orange Shirt Day Community Feast”
ORGANIZER: Sault. St. Marie Tribe
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 30
TIME: 5 p.m. ET
WHERE: Niigaanaagiizhik Ceremonial Building – Sault St. Marie, MI
MORE INFO: Event page

“6th Annual Orange Shirt Day Online Photo Event”
ORGANIZER: Sault St. Marie Tribe
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 30
TIME: All day 
WHERE: Online 
MORE INFO: Event page

“Remembrance & Healing, Every Child Matters”
ORGANIZER: Hessel School House
WHEN: September 24 – October 11
TIME: 10:00 AM–4:00 PM EST (Tues-Friday)
WHERE: 3206 W Cedar Street, Hessel, MI, United States, MI
MORE INFO: Event page 

“Orange Shirt Day” 
ORGANIZER: Hessel School House
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 30
TIME: 9-5 p.m. EST
WHERE: 3206 W Cedar Street, Hessel, MI, United States, MI
MORE INFO: Event page 

MINNESOTA

“Orange Shirt Day Display”
ORGANIZER: American Indian Affairs at MSU, Mankato
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 30
TIME: 8-4:30 p.m. CST
WHERE: Centennial Student Union 269, Mankato, MN
MORE INFO: Event page

“2026 National Day of Remembrance Gathering” 
ORGANIZER: National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition 
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 30
TIME: “Medicine Ball” film screening 12:30-3 p.m. CST (doors open 12:15)
WHERE: Powderhorn Park, Minneapolis, MN 

“Community Candlelight Vigil and Remembrance Walk” 
ORGANIZER: National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition 
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 30
TIME: 6:00 p.m. CST
WHERE: Powderhorn Park, Minneapolis, MN

MONTANA

“Orange Shirt Day”
ORGANIZER: De La Salle Blackfeet School
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 30
TIME: 9:45 a.m. MST
WHERE: 104 1st St Nw, Browning, MT, United States, Montana 59417
MORE INFO: Event page

NEW YORK

“Orange Shirt Day Prayer Service”
ORGANIZER: Saint Kateri National Shrine and Historic Site
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 30
TIME: 6 p.m. EST
WHERE: 3636 State Hwy 5, Fonda, NY
MORE INFO: Event page

“Akwesasne Orange Shirt Day 2026”
ORGANIZER: Mohawk Council of Akwesasne and Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 30
TIME: 9:30 a.m.- Noon EST
WHERE: Generations Park – 17 Margaret Terrance Memorial Way, Hogansburg, NY 
MORE INFO: Event page

NORTH DAKOTA

“A Night of Remembrance: An Orange Shirt Day Gathering & Vigil” 
ORGANIZER: Orange Shirt Day: North Dakota
WHEN: Tuesday, Sept. 29
TIME: 7 p.m. CST
WHERE: Steamboat Park, Bismarck, ND
MORE INFO: Event page

“Every Child Matters Mural Memorial Display”
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 30
TIME: All day
WHERE: Bismarck Art Alley – 117 N 5th St, Bismarck, ND
MORE INFO: Here

“Reclaiming History, Reclaiming the Future: The Bismarck Indian School Archive and Indigenous Educational Leadership”
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 30
TIME: 2 p.m. Central Time
WHERE: Bismarck State College
MORE INFO: Event page

“Orange Shirt Day Challenge”
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 30
TIME: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. CT
WHERE: Sacred Pipe Resource Center – 925 Basin Avenue, Suite 2, Bismarck, ND
MORE INFO: Event flyer

SOUTH DAKOTA

“Rapid City Indian Boarding School Annual Walk”
ORGANIZER: Remembering the Children Memorial
WHEN: Oct. 12
TIME: 9 a.m. MST
WHERE: Begin at Sioux Park Flower Garden – 733 Canyon Lake Dr, Rapid City, SD
MORE INFO: Event page 

UTAH

“Healing Concert – Orange Shirt Day”
ORGANIZER: Glittering Worlds Advocacy Coalition
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 30
TIME: 6 p.m. MT
WHERE: Day-Riverside Branch, Salt Lake City Public Library, UT
MORE INFO: Event page

WASHINGTON STATE

“Orange Shirt Day Healing Walk”
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 30
TIME: 11 a.m. PT
WHERE: 1937 Lashi St SE, Olympia, WA 
MORE INFO: Event page

“Orange Shirt Day: Blue Lightning Performance”

ORGANIZER: Deming Library and Whatcom County Library System
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 30
TIME: 6-7:30 p.m. PT
WHERE: Deming Library – 5044 Mt. Baker Hwy. Deming, WA
MORE INFO: Event Page

“2nd Annual Orange Shirt Day at Seattle Colleges”
ORGANIZER: Tribal Liaison to the Chancellor of Seattle Colleges
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 30
TIME: Noon PT
WHERE: South Seattle College – OLY Olympic 120 – 6000 16th Ave. Sw, Seattle, WA
MORE INFO: Event page

WISCONSIN

“Every Child Matters Run/Walk”
WHEN: Oct. 3
TIME: Sunrise ceremony 6:30 a.m CST., walk to follow
WHERE: Begins at Calvary Cemetery, Milwaukee ends at Indian Community School
MORE INFO: Event page 

“Orange Shirt Day Open House”
ORGANIZER: Forest County Potawatomi Community
WHEN: Sept. 29 and 30
TIME: 9-3 p.m. CST
WHERE: Family Services Building – 5415 Everybody’s Rd. Crandon, WI
MORE INFO: Event flyer