In late November, a chief katsina, Soyalkatsina, begins the katsina season by walking along the trail into the village like a weary old man or someone who has had too much sleep, singing sacred songs in a low voice. He then opens the main kiva, signaling that it is time for the katsinam to come out. Their emergence reenacts the arrival of the Hopi into the "fourth world."

The structure of the kivas symbolizes the three other worlds that all beings, including the Hopi, passed through. Beneath the floor level is a small hole in the ground called sipaapuni which comes up from the first underworld of fire. The floor level represents the second world of air, the breath of life. A raised seating area is the third world, the world of water, the blood of life. A ladder goes up through the roof to the fourth world.

Speech given by the katsina father to the katsinam before their departure for the spirit world

Kyaamuya is in December, a sacred month when the gods return and the sun turns back on its way towards summer. The Hopi respectfully prepare for the arrival of the katsinam with storytelling and the Soyalangwu ceremony.

The first few katsinam of the new year appear at the beginning of Soyalangwu, the winter solstice ceremony which may last up to nine days. It involves the making of prayer objects, many prayers and rituals, and a rabbit hunt and feast at its conclusion. The prayers and rituals help the Hopi turn the sun toward its summer home and begin giving strength to all life for the growing season ahead. Two Sivuktsinavit (two katsinat), representing fertility, procreation, and renewal approach females of the village and simulate copulation to symbolize fertilization of the new growing season.

Following Soyalangwu, social dances called Paamuya are held in homes and the kivas at night, and on the plazas during the day. They last until the beginning of Powamuya ceremony. The dances depict animals that live in the mountains now covered with snow, and are prayers for snow to fall on Hopi fields and for successful hunting.

In Sichmovi, a pueblo founded by immigrants from Zuni, a dance is held in which the majority of the katsinam represent Zuni impersonators. It dramatizes the return of the sun, and celebrates the return of the katsinam to the pueblos.

During the Powamuya ceremony in February, the katsinam arrive in force to help the Hopi prepare for the next growing season and to initiate children into the Katsina Society, thus preparing them for growth as well. The most important katsina ceremony is a series of rituals that promotes fertility, germination, and early growth of seeds. It also initiates children between six- and ten-years-old into the Powamuya Society. The children are then allowed to participate in katsina performances.

One important event during Powamuya is the planting of beans. Within the kiva, men under the supervision of Powamuya officers plant fifty to a hundred beans in a bucket filled with earth. A fire is kept going day and night to help the beans grow. Patsavu Hu´katsinam regularly inspect the plants. The planting and growth of the beans inside the warm kiva is seen as a good omen for the success of the coming harvest.

On the sixteenth day, the katsinam give away mature bean sprouts in a public ceremony followed by a procession of many katsinam who dance and give away dolls, dancing wands, decorative plaques, bows and arrows, lightning sticks, rattles, and moccasins. Among the dancers are Ogre katsinam who frighten children into behaving properly.

During Ösömuya, a cycle of Night Dances called Angk'wa (dances following Powamuya) repeat several Powamuya rituals. The head of the katsina clan inaugurates them.

As with other Night Dances, or Kiva Dances held in winter and early spring, katsinam dressed in ceremonial kilts and sashes climb into the kivas and give people samples of crops that will soon be planted. Their gifts ensure a plentiful harvest. Throughout Ösömuya, dances accompanied by drumming and singing are held until dawn in all the kivas.

In April, the Hopi start preparing and planting their gardens and fields with various crops, especially corn. Racer katsinam appear in the plaza and challenge men and boys to foot races, thus blessing them with strong and healthy lives. "As the men race, so the water will rush down the arroyos," the Hopi say. A Mudhead katsina leads the Racers, carrying prizes in a blanket. During the kwiyamuya races, two katsinam who are female fertility figures force men and boys to the ground and make copulatory movements that symbolize procreation.

During this period small quantities of beans, pumpkins, gourds, muskmelons and watermelons are planted. The word "haki" means "wait," as it is not yet the time to plant most of the crops. Katsinam are called upon to help the plants sprout and grow. Many of them represent seeds and different kinds of sacred corn, or blooming plant life; others represent rain, or the increase of game animals. During the early planting season katsina dances are performed on the plaza.

Wuko´uyis, the main planting season in early June, is an important time when the first corn is planted and young people and children are taught how to farm. Katsinam appear at sunrise in all twelve Hopi villages and proceed in single file to the plazas. The dances conclude at sunset with prayers and blessings.

Talangva is the summer season in July when all the previous katsina rituals and dances culminate in the Niman ceremony.

Shortly after the summer solstice, the sixteen-day Niman (or home-going) ceremony celebrates the departure of the katsinam to their spirit world in the San Francisco mountains. After eight days of sacred activities in the kivas, the katsinam perform a public dance. They enter the plaza at sunrise with their arms full of the first green corn stalks of the year, thus demonstrating that corn will be plentiful. They also bring presents, including dolls, for the children. Toward the end of the evening, they reenter the kiva, where an altar has been set up. There they dance for the last time and receive offerings. The father of the katsinam gives a farewell speech, thanking them for past favors and praying for their continued help. He then sprinkles them with corn meal and spreads corn meal on a path for them to follow to the west. The katsinam slowly leave to return to the gods with the Hopi's gifts and prayers.