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A powwow scheduled to open Thursday night in Kalispell has been canceled.

The Herd Bull Powwow to honor Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women was scheduled to run from Thursday through Sunday at the Flathead County Fairgrounds. Organizer Bruce Grant predicted it would be a healing experience for those affected by missing and murdered indigenous women, as well as a “barn burner” with thousands of dancers and $250,000 in prize money.

But now, it won’t be happening at all.

In a Thursday press release, fairgrounds manager Mark Campbell wrote that the contractor was “unable to provide the required insurance coverage to produce the event as expected.” Some commenters on social media disputed this account; Grant could not be reached for comment.

The event had no website or social media page. A poster directed all queries to Bruce Grant via phone. Chris Roberts, a non-Native Missoula resident who has long been active in powwows, described this one as well-intentioned but poorly planned, with none of the marketing or organization needed to make these events succeed.