In the North, something’s always shakin’ – celebrations, gatherings and jamborees
jam-pack the annual calendar. Here’s the lowdown on the very finest festivals in the territories.
Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous
Whitehorse’s ‘mardi-gras in mukluks’
Whitehorse is a town of too-smart, do-gooder hippies – and most of the time, it shows. But Sourdough Rendezvous is the one time of year when locals get lowbrow, shaking off cabin fever with a week’s worth of goofy and mildly prurient high-jinks that both celebrate and send up the city’s goldrush roots.
Itinerary: Kick off Rendezvous amid the throngs at Whitehorse’s waterfront, testing your mettle at contests like chainsaw-chucking and wife-carrying (yep, that’s right), or cheering the fast-paced dogsled racers and slow-paced beard-growing contestants. Then, for aerial antics, head up to the airport for the Jack and Myrna Kingscote Air Display, which showcases dozens of military planes from around North America. Late in the evening, hit the Main Street bars, where buxom cancan dancers offer ruffled, ribald amusement. They might just let you remove their garters with your teeth.
Best thing about it: “Rendezvous, to me, elicits the feel of real community togetherness, accentuating the spirit of the Yukon with events like dogsled racing and the Native Folklore show. These types of experiences remind me why I love living in the North. They’ve allowed me to celebrate my indigenous identity in a positive, festive and exciting event that gets us all out of our homes, onto the streets of our town, and into the first inclines of impending springtime.” – Marilyn Jensen, Whitehorse
What: Mid-winter whoop-up When: Late February Where: Whitehorse Why: To celebrate the beginning of the end of winter Don’t miss: Rendezvous’ signature event, the flour-packing contest. Last year’s winner shouldered 717 pounds of flour, staggering with it for 50 feet Don’t forget: To wear your garter. Otherwise, you’ll be “jailed” by the Keystone Kops Info: www.yukonrendezvous.com
Frostbite Music Festival
The Yukon’s sonic celebration
In Whitehorse during February’s Frostbite Music festival, pent-up Yukoners bust out of their winter cocoons and let loose for three days of raucous, parka-free partying. Budding big-name musicians are flown up to rile fans and jam with local music heroes on a variety of stages around Whitehorse.
Itinerary: Don’t worry about rising early: Just make the mid-afternoon workshop with a moody songstress, or head to a spicy reggae session at the gym. In early evening, slide into a cushy theatre seat and tap your toes to local bluegrass hotshots. When you’re warmed up, bust a move to catch headliners like this past year’s Franco-Brazillian fusion band, Bombolessé, and folk-rocker Danny Michel. Finally, dry your sweat in the Black Box, where electronica and other mood-enhancing tunes recharge your dance engine.
Best thing about it: “It’s all about bringing outside performers to meet local performers to grow together. I got to see Jann Arden and Sarah McLachlan before they got big. People come because they’re sure to find something they like, because it covers a little bit of everything.” – Robert Bellon, Whitehorse
What: Good-time get-down When: Mid-February Where: Whitehorse Why: Music warms your soul Don’t miss: Volunteering 15 hours to gain entry to the notorious volunteer-appreciation party Don’t forget: To dress for dancing Info: www.frostbitefest.ca
Caribou Carnival & Snow King Festival
Yellowknife’s spring fling
Coinciding in March, two complementary festivals grace the Yellowknife snowscape. “Snow King” Anthony Foliot builds an elaborate ice castle near his houseboat on Yellowknife Bay and throws a monthlong party that includes film nights, art shows and pond hockey. The less anarchic, city-father-sanctioned Caribou Carnival, meanwhile, is a one-weekend extravaganza on Frame Lake, where Dene handgames and drumming go hand in hand with dog and skidoo races. Hungry attendees won’t be disappointed – country food and the Francophone sugar-shack fuel the merrymaking.
Itinerary: Check out the Iceolation Art Show at the Snow King’s castle on Yellowknife Bay, then head downtown and stuff your face at the annual free barbecue hosted by members of the legislative assembly. Get an eyeful at the “ugly truck and dog” contest, then cheer the ladies in the “good woman” event as they race to make a campfire and boil tea. After the sun goes down, return to the castle for movies or dancing. Ooh and aah under a fireworks display and stumble home in the starlight.
Best thing about it: “There’s something really cool about being out on a frosty frozen lake and the premier of the Northwest Territories handing you a hot dog while directing you towards the ketchup and mustard. Have you ever tried holding a hot dog with mittens the size of boxing gloves?” – Colleen Hilman, Yellowknife
What: Send-off for Old Man Winter When: March Where: Yellowknife Why: You might earn a nickname like Joe Snow or Shiverin’ Bill Don’t miss: Surly Bob’s beard-growing and hairy-legs contest Don’t forget: Hockey skates Info: www.snowking.ca, www.cariboucarnival.com
Toonik Tyme
Iqaluit’s cabin-fever reliever
After a six-month stretch of dark, blustery winter, Iqaluit folk are understandably eager for a celebration come April. The city’s Toonik Tyme fest honours the radiance of spring with a weeklong outdoor party involving traditional Inuit games, races, bingo, igloo-building and other quirky Arctic competitions.
Itinerary: Friday afternoon, join locals and head to the elders’ craft fair for fur mitts, parkas and carvings. If golf is your thing, stroll to Toonik Lake for ice golf. Then, in the afternoon, check out the famous “uphill climb,” in which local snowmobilers race up one of the steepest hills in town. Cap off your day at an evening dance at the Cadet Hall.
Best thing about it: “It’s great because people from other communities come, and we get a lot of tourists, too. It’s always so well attended, and there are events for the whole family – elders, kids, even the dog.” – Olivia Brown, Iqaluit
What: Spring-saluting celebration When: Mid-April Where: Iqaluit Why: For High Arctic high-jinks Don’t miss: People doing gross things for “Arctic Fear Factor” Don’t forget: A hearty appetite for the big community feast Info: www.tooniktyme.com
Kluane Mountain Bluegrass Festival
The High North’s unplugged hootenanny
There’s heaps of mountains around Haines Junction, and, when the banjo-men pour in, plenty of bluegrass too. The three-day Kluane Mountain Bluegrass Festival, in its sixth year, draws Yukon and Alaskan hillbilly bands, plus some of the finest fiddlers and fastest pickers from down yonder. This twangy, acoustic genre has a big following up North, and you may have to queue up to get into cozy venues that make this fest a real down-home family affair.
Itinerary: Saturday morning, after rolling out of bed in the lee of Kluane National Park, tote your dobro or mandolin to one of several workshops where beginners can learn the bluegrass style. Then catch the toe-tappin’ shows at the St. Elias Convention Centre and St. Christopher’s Anglican Church. Finish the day at Grand Hall, dancing to tunes reeled off by the likes of Michael Cleveland, the world’s wickedest bluegrass fiddler.
Best thing about it: “The Kluane Mountain Bluegrass Festival is a gem. Not only do they bring in stellar outside acts, they’re committed to supporting and showcasing local artists as well. The venues are outstanding, the audiences are fantastic, the food is incredible, and it’s all set against the amazing backdrop of the St. Elias Mountains. It’s a treat to have such a great festival so close to home.” – Anne Louise Genest, Whitehorse
What: Musical hoedown When: Mid-June Where: Haines Junction, Yukon Why: For pickin’ and grinnin’ Don’t miss: The Sunday-morning, all-acoustic gospel concert at the church Don’t forget: To come back now, y’hear? Info: www.kluanemountainbluegrassfest.com
Alianait Arts Festival
Iqaluit’s midnight sun carnival
There are few festivals where you can take in Greenlandic hip-hop, Saami storytelling and a Nunavut circus performance. Every summer in Iqaluit, the Alianait Arts Festival manages just such diversity. Entering its fourth year, this fest pulls together a rich spread of circumpolar talent ranging from the traditional (throat singing and drum dancing) to the contemporary (multi-media installations and modern dance). The festival kicks off on National Aboriginal Day, June 21, and closes 10 days later on Canada Day.
Itinerary: Start at the legislative assembly building for a circumpolar art exhibit, then wander over to the city’s waterfront museum for a visual-art and photo display. Later, watch soapstone carvers in action outside the Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association building. After dinner head to the Astro Theatre for a showing of unique Northern-made films.
Best thing about it: “Fuelled mainly by volunteers, Alianait proves that the arts are the healing glue that holds us together. Art brings pride, meaning and joy, not only to the artists, but also to the people around them.” – Rannva Simonsen, Iqaluit
What: Song-and-dance smorgasbord When: Late June Where: Iqaluit Why: To celebrate circumpolar art Don’t miss: Igloolik’s impressively bendy Artcirque troupe Don’t forget: To bring your guitar and join in a coffee-house jam Info: www.alianait.ca
Atlin Arts and Music Festival
The Southern Lakes’ best little fest
At the end of a winding dirt road, overlooking a huge, blue lake and surrounded by a Switzerland of peaks, you’ll find a goldrush village just pulsating. During the Atlin Arts and Music Festival this entire Northern B.C. town of 400 people steps up, opening their doors for shows, inviting jam sessions on their front lawns, and attracting world-class mainstage acts like singer-songwriter David Francey and the stringband Creaking Tree String Quartet.
Itinerary: An impromptu acoustic music-making session lures you from your tent and onto the festival grounds; there, the family joins in the singalong while you wolf down a breakfast burrito. Then wander over to the courthouse to gawk at local carvings and oil paintings. An afternoon jam outside Kershaw’s Cafe draws a lucky crowd, but soon you’re off to the intimate Globe Theatre to catch a tear-inducing set by one of your favourites. Finally, groove at the mainstage, keeping one eye on the kids playing on the sandpile and the other eye on Ashley MacIsaac’s flamethrowing fiddle antics.
Best thing about it: “The Atlin festival started up right around the time we started having children and we’ve gone every year since. We’re kind of done with the drunken party scene of the other festivals. We spend a lot more time just wandering around the community, checking out art exhibitions, film screenings, random jam sessions. You really engage with the whole town. It’s a lot of fun, they bring in top acts, and who wouldn’t want to go to Atlin?” – David MacKinnon, Whitehorse
What: Intergenerational tune-fest When: Early July Where: Atlin, B.C. Why: To feel great for three days straight Don’t miss: Shows in the haunting old Globe Theatre Don’t forget: Your kids Info: www.atlinfestival.ca
Dawson City Music Festival
The Yukon’s go-with-the-flow rock show
For four days, the ghosts of Dawson City retreat back into the teetering walls and floorboards of this old town as the Klondike is taken over by a troop of spirited musicians and fans. Canada’s best-established and up-and-coming artists fill the goldrush churches, public halls and sunny parks with sounds so raw and indelible it’s hard to go home when it’s all over.
Itinerary: Wake up Saturday morning tender from last night’s revelries, run the midnight Dome Race, then make it to the blues-and-gospel workshop at St. Mary’s Church after gobbling a juicy bison burger at the main tent. An hour nap back at your rented cabin will leave you energized for folk-superstars like Hayden at the Palace Grand, followed by mobbing the mainstage to rock out to such acts as Torngat, Black Mountain and The Sadies.
Best thing about it: “It’s always such a fantastic experience – beautiful weather, amazing music. Compared to other festivals I’ve been to, everybody gets along and is in a good mood. I was just down in San Francisco to see The Sadies play and started up a conversation with one of their wives. She said Dawson City was their favourite gig; that when they finish up at midnight the sun’s still out. There’s something pretty mystical about it.” – Peter Briggs, Anchorage
What: 24-karat Woodstock When: Mid-July Where: Dawson City, Yukon Why: Because good music is guaranteed Don’t miss: The powerful performances at the Palace Grand Don’t forget: Summer dancing clothes – Dawson gets hot Info: www.dcmf.com
Open Sky Festival
The Deh Cho’s homecoming party
Home to more than a dozen villages and settlements, the Deh Cho region has some of the most stunning natural features in the Northwest Territories. The beauty of the land is reflected in the work of its craftspeople and artists, who gather once a year in Fort Simpson (Liidlii Kue) for an exchange of friendship, knowledge and goods. The festival concludes with a community feast and a drum dance.
Itinerary: Greet Saturday morning with a stroll on the community trail, which winds around a picturesque golf course. Head to the Papal Flats at noon, when the visual arts and traditional crafts are displayed. If you’d like to try your hand, you’d better pay close attention during the demonstrations. Listen to a story, then get yourself gussied up for an adult concert and dance at the rec centre.
Best thing about it: “I love meeting all of the artists, but my absolute fave thing about the Open Sky Festival is the opportunity to view and purchase the beautifully intricate traditional crafts of the Deh Cho.” – Tracy Kovalench, Regina
What: Big-river get-together When: Late June Where: Fort Simpson, NWT Why: Because you can’t read these stories – they’re all in the delivery Don’t miss: Comedian, actor and spoken-word artist Simon Moccasin Don’t forget: Sunscreen. Seriously. Info: www.openskyfestival.ca
Great Northern Arts Festival
The Arctic’s artistic showcase
During 10 of Inuvik’s 56 perpetually sunlit summer days, artists from the Yukon, the NWT and Nunavut gather for this primarily visual-arts festival. More than 100 participants give public workshops and demonstrations or simply display and sell their handiwork. First held in 1989, the Great Northern Arts Festival has added a full evening program of musicians and performers to its core of Beaufort-Delta art exhibits.
Itinerary: Open your eyes to a spectacular view of the Richardson Mountains. Wake up your imagination with a storytelling session. Then learn how to make a birchbark basket, fill it full of goodies from the gallery, and cap off the day by watching Northern models sashay in a fashion show of the latest handmade styles and traditional garments.
Best thing about it: “The first year I participated was 1997. There was a group of singers and dancers from Uganda, who were very uplifting to watch. I like to learn about their culture and traditions.” – Mary Inuktalik, Ulukhaktok
What: Pan-territorial meeting of artists When: Mid-July Where: Inuvik, NWT Why: Because it feels like this year’s theme: homecoming Don’t miss: The blanket toss Don’t forget: To book your campsite well in advance Info: www.gnaf.org
Aqpik Jam Music Festival
Nunavik’s everything-fest
For 13 years the Aqpik Jam Music Festival has had the same goal: to rock Arctic Quebec with circumpolar talent, expose up-and-coming circumpolar musicians and bring up big-name southern entertainers. Though music is the festival’s mainstay, over the years various cultural events and uniquely Northern competitions have broadened Aqpik’s appeal. There have been fashion shows, traditional Inuit games, dances, races, and, of course, feasting on both Inuit and First Nations fare.
Itinerary: Around 10 a.m. start your day by snacking at the outdoor food tent, where a First Nations family serves up their annual festival feast of bannock, salmon and dry-meat. Once amply sated, spend your day watching – or participating in – the canoe races, golf tournament and target-shooting competition (both at the big sandpit), the poker and dart tournaments, and the famous aqpik (cloudberry) picking contest. Rest up over dinner for a full evening of music, starting at 7 p.m. at the new town hall building.
Best thing about it: “Over the years Aqpik has really grown in leaps. It now exposes audiences and Northern musicians to a variety of playing styles and calibres.” – Derek Tagoona, Kuujjuaq
What: A four-night concert; a four-day carnival When: Second week of August Where: Kuujjuaq, Nunavik Why: Because Northern music is groovy Don’t miss: The fireworks show Don’t forget: Bug spray Info: www.nvkuujjuaq.ca/en/aqpikjam.ca
Folk on the Rocks
The Great Slave’s lollapalooza
Over its 28 years, Folk on the Rocks has become a mammoth undertaking, organized and executed by 400 volunteers. The calibre of headliners confirms the two-day outdoor festival as one of the key events on Canada’s musical calendar. Along with the festival’s namesake folk tunes, the lineup encompasses aboriginal, Celtic, rock and jazz music. There’s a children’s area to keep kids busy and a beer garden to do the same for adults.
Itinerary: Hop on the Great Moose Caboose that winds its way hourly to the concert site, disembarking on the sandy shores of Long Lake. Make the rounds of the five stages before heading to the beer garden for cool refreshment. To round out your cultural experience, eat some country-food and check out Art on the Rocks. Repeat until midnight.
Best thing about it: “Everybody is having fun on a big rock by a beautiful lake. The Northern essence is embodied: live local music, local art, local values and local people. From the elderly to the tiniest of toddlers, everybody has an awesome time.” – Mandee McDonald, Yellowknife
What: Outcrop rock-out When: Mid-July Where: Yellowknife Why: Because your CD collection needs inspiration Don’t miss: Friday’s opening gala, Warm The Rocks Don’t forget: Your bathing suit Info: www.folkontherocks.com
Discovery Days
The Klondike’s golden get-together
Celebrated as early as a century ago with dusty parades and children’s games, Discovery Days was a nod to that huge Yukon thunderclap: the gold strike on Bonanza Creek. These days, though, “Disco Days” isn’t just about the stampede. With events like a softball tournament, a fun run, a golf-off and a garden show, the fest has mutated into a weeklong excuse for the Klondike to do what it does best: have a rip-snortin’ good time.
Itinerary: Start off Saturday with the Discovery Days pancake breakfast. Then, gather along the wooden sidewalks to watch the parade, led by duded-up Mounties and trailed by floats competing for prize money. Now you’ve got two options: Get egg-headed at the Yukon Riverside Arts Festival, or lower your standards at the Klondike Valley Mud Bog, where motorheads get dirty at the base of Moosehide Slide. Finally, end the day the way Dawsonites do: with drinks at the Pit, the Klondike’s most (in)famous bar.
Best thing about it: “Discovery Days tastes like the last swig of beer before closing time. The summer is nearly over. Dawsonites take to the streets for the final sun-filled blowout before autumn. Friends made over the tourist season have clung on for one final Dawson festival before returning south for school, jobs or warmer climates. And it’s the first weekend of the year you notice it’s dark out walking home from the bar.” – Wayne Potoroka, Dawson
What: Glittering nugget of fun When: Mid-August Where: Dawson City, Yukon Why: Because there’s gold in these here hills Don’t miss: The “Authors on 8th” tour of the homes of the Klondike’s literati: Robert Service, Jack London and Pierre Berton Don’t forget: That you’re married, ain’t a millionaire, can’t fly, etc. – because Dawson can be dangerously enjoyable Info: www.dawsoncity.ca
Yukon International Storytelling Festival
Whitehorse’s yarn-spinning spectacular
As autumn settles over the Yukon River valley, locals and visitors cozy into Whitehorse’s arts centre to hear some of the best storytellers from the Yukon and “outside” weave their tales. Founded 20 years ago to support the development of the territory’s talented elders and young performers, the show now attracts top storytellers – plus musical performers and dance acts – from Russia to Zimbabwe to China.
Itinerary: Pack a lunch and join the school groups in the morning for performances that will transport you – and the kids – to another world. In the afternoon, get your laugh on with Sharon Shorty and Dwayne Ghastant Aucoin as they play elders Grandma Susie and Cash Creek Charlie. Sneak back to the Black Box room to hear Ivan Coyote teach her craft, and make sure to arrive early to find a seat at one of the captivating performances in the magical outdoor yurt. And don’t be late to see award-winning storytellers like Ottawa-based Daniel Richer back in the main theatre.
Best thing about it: “I grew up when people told stories. We didn’t have TV, we absorbed knowledge through the spoken word. A good storyteller makes you use your imagination to create pictures in your brain, and that’s more powerful than any piece of mass media. But I really enjoy the international storytellers, learning about different cultures and being exposed to their folklore.” – Barb Phillips, Whitehorse
What: Edge-of-your-seat story-a-thon When: Early October Where: Whitehorse Why: Because everyone loves a good story Don’t miss: A session in the outdoor yurt Don’t forget: Your imagination Info: www.storytelling.yk.net
