Each year, the Yellowknives Dene First Nation hosts a jam-packed spring carnival in Dettah and along the ice road on Great Slave Lake. This year, the carnival runs March 20-22 as the days grow longer and sunlight returns to the North after a long winter.
Organizers said the event revitalizes the community and fosters unity within Dettah and Ndilo, as well as in Yellowknife and surrounding regions. Hundreds of people from across the region attend each year to take part in traditional and northern activities.
Jennifer Charlo, YKDFN spring carnival co-ordinator, said the festival attracts more than 500 people and offers activities for all ages, supporting intergenerational and community connections.
“Everyone’s welcome to come to our carnival,” said Charlo. “The carnivals in our community are so important because they bring family and friends together. Especially for our Elders, when they come to our carnivals, they like to see all their friends and families and their children.”
After the long winter, the arrival of spring is an important and celebratory time for Dene communities.
“We get to see everyone again, they come together,” said Charlo. “The best part of the carnival that I can think of is just being together and just sharing laughter, it just brings so much joy.”
Festivities begin Friday with a fishing derby at 10 a.m. and a Feeding the Fire ceremony at 12 noon. Popular events include hand games, tea boiling, log sawing, nail pounding, Snow Snake, snowshoe races, rope-winding, sleigh races and the long throw, as well as a moose-calling competition.
“People come up and do their best moose calls,” said Charlo, adding the sounds across the frozen bay delight all ages.
A talent show will take place Friday evening at the Chief Drygeese Conference Centre in Dettah, beginning at 8 p.m. It will feature the Welders Daughter band and fiddler Lee Mandeville, with MC Lawrence Nayally, along with singing, jigging, traditional dress, two-step and moose-calling competitions.
There will be evening activities throughout the weekend, including a Drum Dance Saturday and a Community Feast Sunday at 5 p.m.
“Our Hand Games tournaments are Friday, Saturday and Sunday and it’s for all ages,” said Charlo. Games begin at about 1 p.m. Friday and about 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Pond hockey runs Saturday from 12 to 4 p.m., with six players per team, and the ice will be open for skating Sunday.
Outdoor events are scheduled from 12 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Elders events will take place Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Chief Drygeese Centre, including bingo, cribbage and Chinese checkers.
“We also have a baking contest. People are welcome to join, bring their cakes in. We’ll have judges there,” said Charlo. A kiddie carnival will run Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 4 p.m. at the Dettah gym, with activities including a hockey shoot, basketball throw, fishing activities, maple syrup and s’mores making, and colouring.
The full schedule will be posted on the Yellowknives Dene First Nation Facebook page.
