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Australian visitors to Canada’s north-western Yukon Territory can bask under a sun that never sets during the long summer months of June and July. With so many daylight hours to fill, Yukoners know how to kick up their heels.
Check out four of the Yukon’s most unique sporting, cultural and music festivals taking place this summer.
Yukon River Quest: 22 – 25 June 2022
Recognised as one of the toughest adventure events on the planet, the Yukon River Quest is the longest race of its kind in the world, at 715 kilometres of winding river, with just two mandatory rest stops.
Navigating the Yukon River from Whitehorse to Dawson City, eager canoeists and kayakers from across the globe paddle the river day and night, cheered on by thousands of spectators in a tough test of stamina and strength, both mental and physical.
The Yukon River passes through Five First Nations on its race route: Kwanlin Dun, Ta’an Kwachan Council, Little Salmon/Carmacks, Selkirk, and Trondek Hwechin. The race honours their culture and those who have lived off the river and nurtured it for centuries.
In 2017, Esther Wheeler from Sydney became the first female finisher ever in her class, placing second in the Open Solo Canoe category.
Dawson City Music Festival
Kick up your heels with like-minded, music-loving souls in the heart of Yukon’s Klondike at the Dawson City Music Festival over three days in July, 2022. Legendary for attracting the best of Canada’s finest musical talent, there’s no better setting for this eclectic festival than historical Dawson City and the spectacular northern wilderness.
Yukon’s most anticipated music event on the festival calendar includes evening performances and afternoon workshops in intimate venues. Dates and line-up to be announced soon.
Yukon Discovery Days: 11 – 14 August 2022
A full week of special events in Dawson City celebrates the world’s greatest gold rush in the Klondike gold fields, following the discovery of gold in Bonanza Creek in 1896, when George Carmack, his wife Kate Carmack, her brother Skookum Jim and their nephew Dawson Charlie discovered gold in what is now called Bonanza Creek.
Soon after came one of the world’s greatest gold rush stampedes; nearly 100,000 people attempting to strike it rich in the Klondike gold fields.
Yukon Discovery Days celebrates Dawson’s grand history with family-friendly fun, including competitions, walking tours, an arts festival, parade, golf tournament, and, of course, a quintessential performance by the Diamond Tooth Gerties’ can-can dancers.
Adäka Cultural Festival 2017: 29 June – 5 July, 2022
Visit from June 29th – July 5th 2022 for the Adäka Cultural Festival, when more than 150 aboriginal artists and performers congregate in the capital city of Whitehorse to share their arts and culture during this week-long event.
The banks of the Yukon River offer the perfect backdrop to this world-class festival, hosted at the Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre. Immerse yourself in the traditional and contemporary music, and sign up for a workshop to try your hand at drumming, dance, storytelling, film, visual art exhibitions, interpretive programming, and community feasts.
More information, including travel guidelines, visit travelyukon.com
For updates on COVID restrictions, visit the Government of Yukon Territory website.
Note for all travellers:
We encourage all travellers to be fully informed of the pre-entry and on-arrival public health and testing requirements both federally and provincially. This includes the mandatory use of the ArriveCAN app. For the latest information on travel to Canada including the updated requirements and restrictions, please visit the Government of Canada website.