Lori Piestewa National Native American Games July 5-7 in Mesa

The Arizona Sports & Entertainment Commission will host the 2024 Lori Piestewa National Native American Games July 5-7 at the Arizona Athletic Grounds in Mesa.

More than 4,000 athletes representing 57 tribes from the U.S., Mexico, and Canada will compete in basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, and powerlifting during the three-day event at the Arizona Athletic Grounds, 6321 S. Ellsworth Road, according to a release.

This year’s field will see a record number of participating teams in basketball and baseball, with 200 and 35 entries, respectively. In a Piestewa Games first, the 2024 softball competition will take place overnight, from 6 p.m. Saturday, July 6, to 6 a.m. Sunday, July 7, featuring men’s, women’s and co-ed action. Joining the powerlifting contest will be a 10-year-old from Tuba City.

The Piestewa Games are named in honor of Lori Piestewa, a member of the Hopi people, who was the first Native American woman to die in combat while serving in the U.S. military.

Go to to www.PiestewaGames.com .

A three-day pass to watch the games is $45 and a one-day pass is $15, according to the website of the Arizona Athletic Grounds, https://www.tixr.com/groups/azgrounds .