When Gregory and Angie Schaaf held the first Free Indian Market seven years ago, 200 people attended.

This year, the city told the couple to prepare for 40,000.

The Free Indian Market, originally developed after tribal elders expressed frustration with barriers to the Santa Fe Indian Market, has grown vastly since 2018. The Schaafs on Friday held a sold-out feast to kick off the weekend of activities, featuring a ceremony in honor of distinguished artists Maria and Julian Martinez (San Ildefonso Pueblo) and their descendants.

Friday evening was the first time Free Indian Market has held such an event, but it marks the start of the future of an ever-expanding annual tradition — especially as Gregory and Angie Schaaf look to retire and pass the producer torch.

The feast also included a s

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