19th  

Gila River Festival

After taking a break in 2023, the 19th Gila River Festival commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Gila Wilderness in 2024 and not only celebrated this important milestone in protecting America's first Wilderness River, but also looked to the Gila’s future. By exploring themes of long-term protection, climate resilience, cultural exchange, and stewardship, the Festival envisioned the Gila River’s next hundred years and beyond. 

The 2024 festival featured a keynote presentation by Dr. Wendsler Nosie Sr., the San Carlos Apache leader who has worked tirelessly to prevent the desecration of Oak Flat, an Apache sacred site in what is now southeastern Arizona, from a mine operated by international mining giant Rio Tinto.

Also featured was a diverse panel of community leaders, including Guadalupe Cano, Ray Trejo, Michael Darrow, Martha Cooper, Joe Saenz, Corina Castillo, and Luke Koenig will discuss their perspectives on the future of the Gila River and its watershed.