The largest of the Navajo fairs, held every year on the first weekend of October at the Shiprock fairgrounds on the east side of town. It is a busy mix of rodeo, intertribal powwow, midway rides, a parade, frybread cooking contests, a Miss Northern Navajo pageant, and the closing Yeʼii Bicheii night dance — a ceremonial healing dance performed only at this time of year.
The fair is the social high point of the Navajo year and the town fills up for the duration. Accommodation in Shiprock itself is non-existent; most visitors stay in Farmington (45 minutes east) or Cortez, Colorado (an hour north) and drive in. Expect crowds, dust, and excellent food.