This winter, visitors to Canada’s northwest Yukon Territory can immerse themselves in its untamed spirit through extraordinary events that bring adventure and heritage to life. From the high-energy antics of the Yukon Rendezvous Festival to the awe-inspiring endurance of the Yukon Quest sled dog races, these celebrations showcase the region’s vibrant culture, history, and breathtaking wilderness.
Read on to discover five epic arctic celebrations:
Yukon Rendezvous Festival
7 – 23 February, 2025
Yukon Rendezvous Festival celebrates the Yukon’s unique frontier heritage and heralds the start of spring. Join the merriment of communal pancake breakfasts, axe throwing competitions, dogsledding, flour packing and chainsaw chucking. When night falls, the fun continues with Sourdough Sam competitions, showcasing the funniest, most colourful personalities of the Yukon, and the crowning of the festival Queen.
Pick up some beautiful crafts created by local artists at the Cultural Craft Fair, held at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre and enjoy live performances throughout the festival. Check out the incredible snow sculptures in Shipyards Park, take in the iconic drag show, and don’t miss performances by the world-famous Snow Shoe Shufflers and Rendezvous Can-Can dancers.
Yukon Beer Festival
Dog sledding in the Yukon
9 February, 2025
The Yukon Beer Festival is set to kick off Rendezvous with a bang! Taste your way through an array of craft beers, discovering unique flavours and nuances of the finest brews. One of the Yukon’s most spirited events, the Yukon Beer Festival is a celebration of flavour, community, and the artistry behind every craft beer.
Available Light Film Festival
7 – 21 February, 2025
Canada’s largest film festival north of 60° is a celebration of northern, Canadian and international cinema, taking place in the heart of winter in Whitehorse. Available Light Film Festival embraces diversity in all its forms and definitions, including technique and passion that transports storytelling to screen. The Made in the North Award is designed to advance the talent of Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, and LGBTQ2S+ Canadian filmmakers with a focus on those living in northern territories and regions of Canada.
Yukon Quest
1 February, 2025
Elite canine athletes are now in training for the world-famous Yukon Quest sled dog endurance races in Canada’s Yukon Territory. Spectators will line the streets of Whitehorse for the ceremonial event launch on Saturday 1st February, 2025, with the official race-start taking place the following day. Visitors from around the world will flock to Whitehorse to enjoy the festive atmosphere of the Quest, including live music and celebrations as the mushers and their sled dogs prepare to race.
On Sunday, 2nd February, icy trails will awaken to the howls of more than 200 dogs as they begin their momentous journeys across the glistening, snow-drenched wilderness of the Yukon.
Starting in Teslin, 180 kilometres from Whitehorse, the event courses will run the Quest trails through Johnsons Crossing, Ross River and Faro, before doubling back to Teslin, covering 643 kilometres of arctic wilderness. As 20 groups of 14 canines led by one human ‘musher’ race the treacherous journeys, one thing is certain: not every team will make it to the end as they battle 40 below zero temperatures in their pursuit of the Yukon Quest championship title. Race veterinarians are present throughout the event, monitoring the welfare of the dogs and providing medical treatment where necessary. The dogs are assessed at various checkpoints along the trail.
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