California will celebrate Native American Day next Friday on the west steps of the Capitol building in Sacramento from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

On Friday, September 28, California will honor the service and sacrifice of all its Native American veterans with the 51st annual Native American Day ceremony. The event begins at 9 a.m. on the west steps of the State Capitol building and includes music, festivities, vendors and special addresses from California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson and Humboldt State University President Lisa A. Rossbacher.

This event is free and open to the public, and all Native American veterans in attendance will receive a commemorative Native American Day pin presented by CalVet.

Signed into legislation by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. in 2014, Native American Day was established as an official state holiday to be recognized on the fourth Friday in September.

As part of Native American Day, CalVet created a poster memorializing the 100th anniversary of World War I and the service of exemplary Native American veterans. The 5-foot by 10-foot print was designed by CalVet’s Art Director Thomas Moralez, with written copy from Communications Manager Thora Chaves and research contributed from historian Chag Lowry. The poster was mounted and displayed inside the Governor’s Office annex this week and will be on display through the end of September.

American Indian artist Ruben Chato Hinojosa Jr., a Lipan Apache tribal member, also created artwork for the event.

A California veteran himself, Chato was selected to create an artistic representation of California’s Native American Day showcasing past and present Native American military servicemembers and veterans. The artwork is currently displayed inside the headquarters building for CalVet in downtown Sacramento and will be displayed near the CalVet booth on Native American Day near the Capitol.

Find out more about this event or let your friends know you’ll be attending on Facebook via the event page.