Alcatraz Cruises and the National Park Service host two annual Indigenous People’s Sunrise Ceremonies each year. This year, the gatherings will take place on Monday, October 8 and Thursday, November 22.
The Indigenous People’s Sunrise Gathering is a commemoration of the 1969-71 occupation of Alcatraz by the “Indians of All Tribes” and are one-day events. This is not the standard Alcatraz Island tour and all areas, with the exception of the ceremony location, are closed and inaccessible to the general public.
Held annually since 1975, the Indigenous People’s Sunrise Ceremony is an event that honors indigenous peoples of the Americas and promotes their rights. The ceremony commemorates the protest event of 1969, where the Alcatraz-Red Power Movement occupied the island. It is currently organized by the International Indian Treaty Council and American Indian Contemporary Arts.
The event is designed to commemorate the survival of Native American peoples following the settlement of Europeans in the Western Hemisphere, which led to enormous economic and cultural losses among the indigenous people due to disease, warfare and social disruption.
On Monday, October 8, the ticket booth opens at 4:15am and boats will depart Pier 33 at approximately 5:00am, 5:15am and 5:30am. General admission is $11.00 per person. Children under five years of age are free. On Thursday, November 22, the ticket booth opens at 3:00am and boats will depart Pier 33 approximately every 15 minutes from 4:00am-6:00am. General admission is $14.00 per person. Children under five years of age are free. All participants must return to Pier 33 on the last boat, which will depart Alcatraz Island at approximately 8:45am.
Guests are encouraged to purchase tickets online and print before arrival. Tickets can be purchased online at https://www.alcatrazcruises.com/programs-and-events/special- events-and-exhibits, by calling 415-981-7625 or from the Ticket Booth at Pier 33 Alcatraz Landing.
