The tradition of Katsina carving tradition comes to vibrant life at the Heard Museum in April.

During this free event, known as the largest gathering of Hopi Katsina carvers in the country, guests can meet artists, collectors and enthusiasts inside the museum’s Steele Auditorium. There will also be live carving demonstrations and music.

The 23rd Annual Katsina Doll Marketplace: A Gathering of Carvers goes from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 5 at the Heard, 2301 N. Central Ave., in Phoenix.

“This event is a unique opportunity to learn about and purchase Katsina dolls directly from Hopi carvers,” Kelly Gould, Heard Museum director of retail operations, share in a press release. “It’s a chance to learn directly from carvers the profound meaning of dolls that have been created for generations.”

The museum will host a juried competition during the event that all participating artists can enter. Entries must be submitted in person to the Heard Museum Shop by 3 p.m. Friday, April 4 to be considered.

Winners will be announced at 4 p.m. the same day.

Guests who visit the marketplace also have the chance to win the 2025 signature Katsina doll, “Nataska,” by Tuvumi Silas (Hopi), and a poster of it signed by all attending artists through a raffle.

Raffle tickets are available online at heard.org/event/katsina-marketplace, in person at the shop, or by phone at 602-252-8344. Individual tickets are $2 each, or six for $10.

Katsina dolls are carvings traditionally presented as gifts to children during ceremonies in February and July. They are given with a prayer-wish for future growth and well-being.

In addition to this traditional purpose, katsina dolls are carved for sale. The dolls are traditionally made from cottonwood root with elements like feathers, hair, and clothes added or incised into the wood.

Katsina dolls created in the mid-1900s and beyond are carved in poses that suggest movement, are colorful, and often finished with a stain that permits the wood grain to show through.

The 23rd Annual Katsina Doll Marketplace is free to the public. Museum entrance is not included in the event.

Since its founding in 1929, the Heard has become nationally and internationally recognized for its world-class exhibitions, award-winning publications, festivals, and innovative educational programs.

Visit heard.org.

Since its founding in 1929, the Heard Museum has become nationally and internationally recognized for its world-class exhibitions, award-winning publications, festivals, and innovative educational programs.

(Photo provided by Heard Museum)