(Ed. Note: The following article was first written for the Northwest Passage Project excursion to take place last summer from August 23 to September 13 aboard the R/V Akademik Ioffe. Shortly after departure, the expedition was grounded on the western Gulf of Boothia in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and cancelled. WUY did not print the …
The Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous has been around since 1945 and a defining part of the winter festival has always been the Military.
Having won over judges at competitions around Canada and the United States with his uniquely Canadian style, Ontario born fiddle player Shane Cook is coming to Whitehorse this Rendezvous for his first gig north of 60.
“We’re just at the cusp of changing an entire sport, and it’s coming out of a town of 23-thousand people. It’s incredible where we’ve got to,” said Alastair Smith, co founder of Proskida. Current performance-monitoring technology that’s widely available in the sport doesn’t tell you how much you’re producing; it just tells you how much …
Food security is an ongoing concern for northerners, as remote communities as well as Whitehorse struggle with access to reliable and affordable produce from southern suppliers. Executives at the Yukon-based power company Solvest Inc. think they’ve found a solution. The company is in the pilot phase of a project that aims to provide an off-the-grid …
The Yukon will be launching a satellite into orbit for the first time, as part of a Canadian Space Agency-led project.Yukon College students are in the conceptual stage of their first-ever space mission. “A Yukon satellite will expand the depth of knowledge we have in the territory and will hopefully lead to other space-related projects …
Located on the northeastern corner of Ellesmere Island in Nunavut, Quttinirpaaq National Park is Canada’s northernmost national park. Until recently it was virtually inaccessible to your average earthling. Quttinirpaaq just became a bit more reachable with the completion of a partnership project between Parks Canada and Google Street View, which aims to increase access to …
An expert panel on how Canadians cope with the day-to-day realities of climate change was released last week, and the Yukon has a place at the table.
On Monday May 1, 2017, at around 5:30 a.m., a magnitude 6.2 earthquake landed near the B.C.-Yukon border, followed by another slightly stronger one at around 7:30 a.m. The rare event got a lot more people talking about seismic activity in the region, and a few murmured their fears of an eventual “big one.”
As the only gaming café and comic book store in Whitehorse, Titan Gaming and Collectables is a one-of-a-kind concept North of 60.
James Kirby dedicated his life to his craft and when news of his terminal illness came to light, the Yukon Artist Relief Fund Society was there to help.
Café des Voix at Cafe Balzam at the Takhini Hot Springs on Jan 31. PHOTOS: courtesy of Elaine Schiman Café des Voix is always looking for new talent Yukon accompanist Grant Simpson helped found Café des Voix in 2016 as an extension of Jazz Yukon workshops that had been occurring since 2011 and as “a …
Tagish-based open-source technology guru and founder of Open Broadcaster, “Radio” Rob Hopkins is a driving force behind the use of this technology in northern Canada A group of broadcasters and open-source technology enthusiasts are having get-together at the Days Inn in Whitehorse on March 23. The open-source North 60 conference brings together professionals from different …
There’s a furry addition to Team Yukon’s uniforms as they march into the opening ceremony of the Arctic Winter Games in the Northwest Territories on March 18. Athletes will sport fur pom-poms made from wolf pelts harvested in the Haines Junction area and sewn onto their hats by members of the community.
Multilingual Quebec musicians Andrée Levesque-Sioui and Kyra Shaughnessy are in the Yukon this month for a series of workshops with high-school students. The workshops are aimed at promoting bilingualism in the Yukon and are conducted in French and the Huron-Wendat First Nation language.
The Yukon’s inaugural 2018 Fur Ball is from the creative minds behind the UnFURled project, and will give Yukon fur-fans a chance to show off their styles.
Delhi 2 Dublin, a multi-talented group from Vancouver that have made a name for themselves on the world music scene are the main act at this year’s St. Patrick’s Day party happening at the Coast High Country Inn Convention Centre.
The Unfurled project is a series of events culminating in one full day of workshops, demonstrations, and a marketplace March 2018.
Yukon storyteller Ivan Coyote and songwriter Sarah MacDougall are excited to premier their latest collaboration in Whitehorse.
Editor’s Note: This is part two of two highlighting Kwädąy Dän Ts’ìnchį: Teachings from Long Ago Person Found. It was introduced during the Haines Junction Mountain Festival, which took place December 8 to 10. Part 1 is available in the December 6 edition of What’s Up Yukon. Diane Strand, director of community wellness at the …
Get your cameras rolling and warm up your gear because the annual Yukon 48-Hour Filmmaking Challenge starts on Friday, January 12. It’s a yearly team-up between the Klondike Institute of Arts and Culture in Dawson City and the Yukon Film Society in Whitehorse. The event gives participants two days to complete a short film with …
Christmas is in the air and for many Yukoners that means either a chance to reconnect with family and friends, deepen their faith in Christianity or a combination of the two. For people from all denominations and belief systems it’s a civic holiday that can mean an extra day or two off work or the …
Eighteen years ago three sheep hunters discovered the oldest natural mummified body unearthed to date in North America. he story of this mysterious “Canadian ice man” comes full-circle this year with a new book, Kwädąy Dän Ts’ìnchį: Teachings from Long Ago Person Found.
Located at 204 Strickland St., the Arctic Star Printing building has been a part of the downtown Whitehorse scenery since 1983. Now they’ve got a new location. The company acquired Inkspirationz at 120 Platinum Road in July, and as of September 11, the two companies are now operating from the same workspace. “It will allow …
Independent Management consultant Stefan Voswinkel has a question for Yukon entrepreneurs: “What does success mean to you?” Voswinkel is running a five-session workshop aimed at helping business-minded Yukoners figure this out for themselves. He says it’s essential to prioritize your values. Once you’ve reached the point where you know what your goals are, it makes …
Special Olympics Yukon will introduce an event of the season and it’s looking hip! Two hours of Tragically Hip by cover band The Hip Show.
Got a juicy story that you’re just aching to tell the world, but you don’t want your fellow Yukoners knowing who leaked it? You’re in luck. Because there’s a Facebook page for that. The salacious Whitehorse Confessions page is a never ending source of entertainment for your editor. Journalists by their very nature love a …
“Prepare to be moved, disturbed, engaged. Come for the film. Stay for the conversation,” says Canadian author and media critic Geoff Pevere. Pevere is director of programs for Rendezvous with Madness, a Toronto based film festival focused on movies that delve into the world of mental health and addiction. The festival is travelling across Canada …
“We are proud and excited to be founding the Yukon’s only dedicated art and music festival for children,” says Darlene Sillery, one of the five main organizers of the Augusto! Children’s Festival in Haines Junction this weekend. “We have a great variety of workshops and an excellent group of presenters, including visual artists, performing artists …
Augusto! Children’s Festival the First of its Kind in the Yukon Read More »
“Come as you are, bring a friend or a parent or a daughter or a nephew, and be prepared to be blown away by NYO Canada’s talented and passionate young musicians,” says Blanche Israël, external relations manager at the National Youth Orchestra (NYO) of Canada. The August 10th concert at the Yukon Arts Centre will …
Yukoners experience live Chinese martial arts performance. World renowned Shaolin Wushu Masters visit Whitehorse.
The biannual Haa Ḵusteeyí Celebration and community gathering in Teslin this month presents a unique opportunity for Yukoners of all backgrounds to connect with the Tlingit community. “Everyone is welcome. We want everybody here. We want to share and showcase our culture to the world,” says Melaina Sheldon, community arts and events coordinator at the …
Celebrate National Tlingit Day with a Fun Packed Weekend in Teslin Read More »
There’s a lot to look forward to at the Yukon Arts Centre (YAC) this coming season. “We want all Yukoners to enjoy the arts and not have to go down to Toronto,” says YAC Marketing and Development Director Sarah Frey. This season the centre is celebrating its 25th anniversary year. “It’s a big year for …
Erik Nielsen International Airport Manager since October 2016, Robert Manlig, the first Filipino Canadian to hold the position, has found his calling in the Yukon. “Aviation has always been the love of my life. It’s an exciting industry,” Manlig says. “It never gets old watching planes land, take off and listening to ATC (Air Traffic …
For the first Faro Golf Tournament “we drew circles on the soccer field to serve as holes,” The Faro Golf Club incorporated in 2001.
You’ll either be told to avoid the 98 or it is a must go for an authentic Yukon experience. The 98 has the most colourful people in town.
Bestselling Canadian author Lawrence Hill pursues a lifelong interest in African diaspora narratives. As a part of the research for a book he’s writing about the contribution of African American soldiers to the construction of the Alaska Highway, Hill is travelling the Highway from northern B.C. through the Yukon. His first Yukon stop was in …
The mining industry plays an important role in the lives of Yukoners. The Yukon Chamber of Mines wraps up their annual mining week with a free interpretive tour of the Whitehorse Copper Belt region on the evening of May 4th and the Mining Exploration and Discovery Camp on Friday May 5th at the S.S. Klondike …
“Everyone talks about the Goldrush. I’m interested in the gaps in history. The points in between,” says Yukon writer Michael Gates, author of From the Klondike to Berlin. Published last month, this book is, perhaps surprisingly, the first to offer an in depth account of the Yukon’s contribution to World War I. Gates says that …
Take the Gwich’in language challenge. It’s a challenge from Norman Snowshoe, the former Gwich’in Tribal Council vice president. He said, “If you learn one Gwich’in word a day, at the end of the year you’ve learned 365 Gwich’in words.” Jacey Firth-Hagen, 23, jumped to the challenge. She started a social media based movement, called Speak …
“Gaby was four when she was diagnosed in June 2016, and her birthday is in October so she’s five now,” says Keira Kucherean. Her life changed dramatically when she was told that her daughter Gabriella has medullary pilocytic astrocytoma, a type of brain stem tumor, and that she would need ongoing treatment in Vancouver. Because …
Built in 1987, the Yukon College Library opened in 1988. It’s a place of constant change and with a budget for renovations in the area of $2.27 million, the College has chosen a new path for the Library: it will become a multipurpose learning space with a northern Indigenous focus. “We have to evolve and …
Food is important to me because I have a large family. Five boys under the age of nine” says Sonny Gray, CEO of North Star Agriculture Corp., as his company will soon announce plans to start construction in the Yukon. Like many in the Yukon he’s concerned about fresh produce. Yukoners like to buy local …
“Lucie asked me to take a Latin dance class in 2001 while she was doing a minor in Spanish at Saint-Thomas university in Fredericton,” says Salsa Yukon cofounder Michel Morris. “My first session was painful and to be honest I just wanted to play hockey,” he laughingly admits. By the time he moved to the …
“Get ready for some high paced hockey,” says Whitehorse Huskies Coach Michael Tuton. “The top AA teams of B.C. and the Yukon are battling it out for the Coy. It’s gonna be great hockey. Very hard hitting games. “Bring some excitement. Let’s blow the roof off the Takhini arena.” Tuton says to expect a high calibre tournament …
In the fall of 1975 when Joe Jack was around 24 years old he and a group of friends thought it would be a good idea to start a First Nations hockey team that would include people from all the communities in the Yukon. He and his friends were avid hockey players. “We called ourselves …
Manlig says he’s excited about the project and looks forward to seeing it through to completion. He’s worked on similar projects before and brings a wealth of experience and a dynamic skillset to the table. The space on the main floor has been reduced slightly for the time being and there are a few construction …
The EDI Hut to Hut, taking place this Saturday, is a family, social event that aims to encourage skiers of all ages and ability to participate while discovering new trails and three trail huts. Those huts will be heated and stocked with snacks, drinks and special treats. Pat Tobler is a branch manager at EDI …
May the Force Be With You at This Year’s Hut to Hut Ski Event on Saturday Read More »
However, the Koot to Kat Alpine Adventure Race has a list of requirements: a partner, beacon, shovel, probe, communication device (phone or GPS) and the ability to get yourself up and over Mount Ripinski. The Winter Fest runs from Friday, March 3rd to Sunday, 5th. The Haines “First Friday” event also takes place on March …
As Lions Club International celebrates its one-hundredth anniversary, long time Grey Mountain Lions Club member Gerry Gerein sees this year as a culmination of all that the Yukon Clubs have accomplished in the Yukon. “I’m very proud of our involvement in the community,” he says. For Gerein this year will be all about reflecting on …
Erin Dixon is an artist with a passion for Yukon landscapes. “I was into colouring before it was hot,” she says with a laugh. A self described avid colourer, Dixon noticed a vacancy, “I know that colouring is really popular right now and I wanted to fill the void for Yukoners and visitors wishing for …
Since graduating from Porter Creek Secondary Nicolai Bronikowski has been working on ship design and transit studies. Through his work in Finland, Russia and Canada he showcases the Yukon’s strong science programs and growing potential as an Arctic research hub. Bronikowski came to the Yukon in 2009 for an exchange year, after finishing Grade 9 …
Fritz Mandl was enjoying a sunny day at Army Beach in September when he came across what looked like a dying butterfly. The fragile insect was flying past him on a cold gust of northern wind when it suddenly dropped from the air and went limp, becoming motionless. Assuming that the poor creature had died, …
