When “Arizona” Charlie Meadows built his Palace Grand Theatre, in 1899, it probably never occurred to him that some version of the place would still exist in 2018.
The Palace Grand Theatre is back in business Read More »
Of the five writers who have attracted folks to come and visit buildings and gravesites in the Klondike, that are attached to their names, Jack London was the first.
An Old-fashioned public reading at Jack London Square Read More »
The Wolves of Winter is Tyrell Johnson’s first published novel. It’s set in the Yukon, but he hadn’t actually been here until he came to Whitehorse for last month’s Yukon Writers’ Festival.
A dystopian life near the Blackstone River Read More »
Each summer the Klondike Visitors Association (KVA), honours the memory of four writers who have meant a great deal to Dawson City and the Klondike: Jack London, Robert W. Service, Pierre Berton and Dick North.
Authors on Eighth celebrates Klondike literature Read More »
The biggest change in the Canada Day Parade in Dawson City, this year, is where it will end.
A team of facilitators from the Stream of Dreams program was in Dawson this week to promote environmental stewardship and facilitate a community art project.
Tamika Knutson is a Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in citizen who began her art training at the Yukon School of Visual Arts, in Dawson City.
The ODD Gallery showcases Tamika Knutson’s Skin Read More »
The Northern Review, which is published by the School of Liberal Arts at the Yukon College, describes itself as “a multidisciplinary journal exploring human experience in the Circumpolar North.
The Northern Review looks at literature Read More »
Zsuzsi Gartner built her early career as a writer in journalism, working as a newspaper reporter, then a TV current affairs producer and then a magazine writer and editor, but has been interested in creative writing from an early age.
Zsuzsi Gartner: Aspiring to the darkly tragi-comic Read More »
CBC/Radio-Canada got involved in the Canada 150 sesquicentennial celebrations in a big way, starting about a year earlier with an open call for submissions to be put in a 2017 yearbook.
Putting Canada 150 between two covers Read More »
Owen Laukkanen is unabashedly a writer of commercial fiction, also known as “genre” fiction, having produced a novel every year since The Professionals came out (and was nominated for four major genre awards) in 2012.
Owen Laukkanen: “Keep writing and edit your own work ruthlessly” Read More »
Lots of writers can point to a specific event or person that sent them in the direction of a career in writing; Tyrell Johnson isn’t one of those people.
Tyrell Johnson: ‘Write the story you would want to read’ Read More »
Newfoundland and Labrador writer Michael Winter will be a mentor at the 2018 Yukon Young Authors’ Conference at F.H. Collins Secondary School May 3, 4
Michael Winter: Keeping track of things in the world Read More »
The local writer selected to be a mentor at this year’s Young Authors Conference is Jamella Hagen, who teaches creative writing at Yukon College.
Jamella Hagen: Part of Writing is Being Ready to Write Read More »
PHOTO: Dan Davidson The Yukon Writers’ Festival takes place May 2 through 5, with events throughout the Yukon In 1990, a number of organizations
Gearing up to explore ideas and the written word Read More »
The ice pool tripod is in the river, anchored by a cable to the boxed clock on the Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre, ready for when
It’s ice pool time Read More »
Screenings for the Dawson City International Short Film Festival began in October, with five or six people meeting twice a week to view what would eventually add up to between 400 and 500 submissions for the Easter weekend festival.
Dawson City International Short Film Festival is downloaded for its 18th Year Read More »
The Percy deWolfe is a 210 mile run from Dawson to Eagle, Alaska, and back. It’s a qualifying race for the Yukon Quest or the Iditarod.
Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays the Percy deWolfe race Read More »
When we look back on Canada’s sesquicentennial year (and yes, I did look it up to make sure I spelled it correctly), what will we think of it?
Looking back at Canada’s Centennial Year Read More »
The annual Youth Art Enrichment program, now entering its 17th year, is an annual four-day intensive art program for Yukon youth, hosted by the Klondike
Thaw-di-Gras, Dawson’s spring-or-late-winter carnival, is adding a day this year, with events beginning on Friday, March 16 and running through Sunday, March 18.
Keeping the weekend weird Read More »
With I Am Canada – A Celebration (North Winds Press) Heather Patterson has come up with a novel way of assembling an overview of special things about our country.
13 Ways to look at Canada Read More »
The 25th annual Trek Over the Top snowmobile race will arrive in Dawson City on March 8 and return to its starting point in Tok,
Trek Over the Top Turns 25 this Year Read More »
February 19 to 22 will see the latest edition of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Heritage Department’s bi-annual Myth and Medium week.
We are what we used to eat Read More »
In keeping with this column’s focus on Yukon related material, I’m returning this week to a successful thriller that is set in a version of
Strange things won from the midnight sun Read More »
The Dawson City Music Festival (DCMF) will be holding its annual general meeting on Thursday, January 18, at Yukon College. The meeting was to have
Dawson City Music Festival aims for sustainability Read More »
Yukon author Eva Holland has taken advantage of Amazon’s Kindle Singles format to produce what might have been a 45-page volume about the early history of Arctic exploration.
A tale of Arctic exploration Read More »
After all the bazaars and seasonal open houses are done, and folks are just about ready to settle down at home waiting for Christmas Morning
Getting Ready for Christmas Eve Read More »
Summer, 1972 Pierre Berton recreated a trip he had taken back in the 1930s rafting from Bennett Lake to Dawson City.
Drifting Home covers 3 generations of Bertons Read More »
The approaching Advent Season means that it will soon be what I sometimes refer to as Bazaar Season in Dawson City.
Advent season is Bazaar season in Dawson Read More »
Volume 44 of The Northern Review contains the complete list of the papers from The North and the First World War Conference that was held in Whitehorse, and in Dawson City, May 9-12 2016.
The Northern Review remembers World War I Read More »
Dawson City’s Old Court House on Front Street will be the site for this year’s Haunted House event, a yearly offering to the community sponsored
A spooky pre-Halloween evening Read More »
Every two years the Yukon Historical & Museums Association holds a meeting for the entire Yukon heritage community.
Symposium to discuss activating history Read More »
Continuing this series of reviews of books that deal with the Canadian identity and, to an extent, with the idea of Canada at 150, we
People who crafted the promise of Canada Read More »
Despite the romantic image of the grizzled miner panning by the creek side in search of gold, that phase of the Klondike’s mineral saga was
A Tale of the Klondike Tailings Read More »
When talking about the location of the Yukon School of Visual Arts (Yukon SOVA) in Dawson City, two issues are often raised: What does the
Any discussion of the Yukon School of Visual Arts begins with a couple of questions: What is it? Why is it in Dawson? The first
Congratulations SOVA! Read More »
Every few years the Tourism Industry Association of the Yukon brings either its spring or fall conference to Dawson City. TIA Yukon Executive Director Blake
TIAY Picks Dawson to Showcase Sustainable Tourism Read More »
The editor set us the challenge of making a pitch for our community that says it is more special than any other in the territory,
Celebrating the Klondike as a Special Place Read More »
During a year when there have been a lot of serious books written about our national identity, it stands to reason that a nation that
Poking Fun at Some National Icons on Our Birthday Read More »
Summer, with its long daylight hours, is a great time to travel around the Yukon. But you need to pay more attention to gusts of wind…
The Yukon is Great for Summer Travelling Read More »
The Yukon’s Discovery Day Holiday is kind of hard to pin down. Likely the Monday closest to the day gold was discovered on Bonanza Creek.
Discovery Days: Yukon’s Moveable Holiday Read More »
During the week that leads to the Discovery Days weekend, the Klondike Visitors Association, Parks Canada and the Writers’ Trust of Canada celebrate the writers
Celebrating the Klondike’s Literary Legends Read More »
“We’re dedicated to keeping the Yukon weird,” Robitaille likens the Great Klondike International Outhouse Race to Jim Robb’s Colourful 5%
Race ’til You’re Pooped! Read More »
Dan Carruthers’ more recent thriller, Anya Unbound (2017), introduces us to Sean Carson, a recovering widower, who stumbles across a 17-year-old Polish girl on the
Yukon’s Fictional Geography Read More »
Finding the entrance to Orchid Acres can be a little confusing for newcomers to West Dawson and Sunnydale. Someone will tell you it’s on the
Finding Orchids in an Unusual Setting Read More »
I was in Grade 10 in 1967. For some reason my school provided high school students with tree saplings to take home and plant. Why
Remembering Canada’s Centennial Year Read More »
The Story of Canada in 150 Objects Canadian Geographic & The Walrus Magazine format 130 pages plus pullouts $15 On an older note, there are
Books to Celebrate 150 years of Canada Read More »
Canada Day will be exceptionally busy in Dawson this year. Combining our nation’s birthday with a roster of events that normally occur on the first
There’s Gold in Those Buckets of Dirt Read More »
June 10 will be a double-barreled day of action in Dawson City, as it always is during what could be called Commissioner’s Day. The two
Double-barreled day of action in Dawson City Read More »
“Exploring the Frontiers of Language” will be the theme of this year’s edition of the North Words Writers Symposium, which will be held in Skagway
Early in May, with the deadlines for the 2017 edition of the Dawson City International Gold Show approaching, Coralee Rudachyk was busy, but calm. As
Gold Show: The Rush is On Read More »
Jamie Bastedo is not new to the Yukon. He first came to the territory 35 years ago as a biology graduate student. “Think Never Cry
Sheri-D Wilson, who calls herself The Mama of Dada, is an award-winning spoken word poet, educator, speaker and activist, who has performed in literary, film
I’m very jealous of what Whitehorse based Lily Gontard and Mark Kelly have managed to pull off with their delightful book, Beyond Mile Zero: The
Chronicling the Vanishing Alaska Highway Lodge Community Read More »
James Bernard MacKinnon, commonly bylined as J.B. MacKinnon, will be coming to the Yukon from Vancouver to be the Yukon Public Libraries’ choice as a
Writing as a Full Time Profession Read More »
This is the second of a five part series by Dan Davidson about the professional authors participating in the Yukon Writers’ Festival and the Young Authors
Using Stories to Make People Think Read More »
Born in England, but transplanted to Newfoundland when she was very young, Kathleen Winter credits libraries with kick starting her interest in writing. “We moved
A Mentor for Yukon Young Writers Read More »
The cupboard behind Dan Sokolowski’s head is still covered with the multi-coloured Post-it notes he’s been using to assign the 86 short films in this
Celebrate the Art of Filmmaking this Weekend Read More »
Given the odd behavior of the Yukon River this year, it’s not at all certain just how and when spring breakup will occur, but however
The Tripod Stands to Mark the River’s Breakup Read More »
At 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 23, the spirit of Percy DeWolfe, Dawson’s Iron Man Mail Carrier, will head off from the starting line between
Racing to Honour an Honourable Man Read More »
By 2001, however, that big detached deck on the front of the house was deteriorating and we decided that a verandah running across the entire
The Evolution of a Home Read More »
Dawson’s impishly named Thaw di Gras carnival is still thought of as a spring carnival, even though a good March weekend will still be in
Thaw di Gras appeals to Locals and Visitors Read More »
The Trekkers are coming again, and this year’s Trek Over the Top from Tok Alaska to Dawson City, will have a substantial increase in numbers
The Trekkers Will Soon be Here Read More »
Regardless of what else may be happening, on 1st Saturday of the month during a school year, these open mic events are a regular occurrence.
Making Music and Money for Good Causes Read More »
It’s been a truly odd winter here in the Klondike. On the one hand it’s been colder, and colder for longer stretches than it has
Flowing Water and the Daily Light Show Read More »
They consulted with Dr. Brendan Hanley, the Yukon’s Chief Medical Health Officer, and he thought it was a worthwhile experiment. The next question was where
Shedding a Little Light on a SAD Season Read More »
The original purpose of the Clinton Creek Oral History Project was to gather information about how the area around the former asbestos mine and company
Gathering Memories of Clinton Creek Proves Difficult Read More »
Organizers for the Christmas Eve Pageant Photo Shoot were on edge as October 2 dawned. Would there be a lot of snow on the Bonanza
Christmas Eve Preparations in October Read More »
The nomination package has been prepared under the watchful eye of a local advisory committee, including representation from Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, the City of Dawson, the
The Klondike Continues to Prepare for World Heritage Status Read More »
About the same time as I was reading Elle Wild’s very entertaining mystery novel, Strange Things Done, I happened to watch a discussion between best
Dawson in a Fictional Sense Read More »
Atlas Obscura, “An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders,” Highlighted Signpost Forest, Carcross Desert and the Sourdough Cocktail.
The Sourtoe celebrated as a “Hidden Wonder” of the World Read More »
The folk/roots duo Twin Peaks, comprised of Naomi Shore and Lindsay Pratt, opened Dawson’s Home Routes season on Sept. 26. The show in Dawson City
What is the Aurora Trail? Read More »
Basia Bulat is returning to the Yukon. Bulat is a multi-instrumentalist – she plays guitar, autoharp, banjo, ukulele, charango, hammered dulcimer, saxophone and flute –
Need Some Good Advice? Read More »
Though best known for his 15 collections of verse (a term he preferred to poetry in reference to his own work) Robert Service also wrote novels.
The Trail of 98 Shows Another Side of Robert W. Service Read More »
Steve Pitt came to the Yukon in 1982 to attend his sister’s wedding. She was marrying Dal Fry, son of Art and Margie Fry. That’s
How Two Pierres had an Adventure in the Yukon Read More »
Seeds of Change invites locals and visitors to consider the implications of the concept of reconciliation. It’s the summer exhibit in the Gathering Room in
Seeds of Change Lead to Reconciliation Read More »
When Kyley Henderson was in elementary school her mother, Elaine, encouraged her to draw, and one year a drawing of hers was used in the Robert
A Colouring Book for Adults Read More »
Priska Wettstein’s love affair with photography began in 2008 when husband Paul presented her with a camera.
Priska Wettstein: A Love Affair with Photography Read More »
Not quite a year ago, Jesse Cooke was in Ottawa to receive the Parks Canada Youth Tourism Entrepreneur Award. He was being recognized for his
Promoting the Klondike Experience Read More »
Once upon a time there were quite a few Jews in the Klondike. They arrived with the other gold rush stampeders. There were enough of
The History of Jews During the Gold Rush Read More »
KVA works with the Writers’ Trust of Canada, Parks Canada, and the Dawson Community Library to put on the Authors on Eighth Walking Tour.
Saturday in Dawson’s Waterfront Park means it’s time for a couple of markets to open for business. The Farmers’ Market has been running for many
Saturday is Market Time in the Klondike Read More »
Dawson City blooms in the summer. It’s a process that begins in some local commercial greenhouses and explodes after the horticultural booths at the Gold
The Strange Story of Mary Hanulik Garden Read More »
Jack London’s The Call of the Wild is not a particularly long book. A mere 70 pages, perhaps a few more in a version with
The Joys of Reading Aloud Read More »
My shakedown cruise for our trailer has come to be my annual pilgrimage to the town of Skagway to attend the North Words Writers’ Symposium,
Chasing Stories in Skagway Read More »
Dawson City runners have been pleased to participate in the Mayo Marathon. This year there is a Dempster to Dawson (or D2DC) Solstice Race.
A Little or a Lot, Get Ready to Run Read More »
Mark Zuehlke grew up in the Okanagan, hearing tales of Remittance Men – those eccentric British immigrants sent here in the late 19th century by
Mark Zuehlke and the Remittance Men Read More »
One of the stops along Dawson’s 8th Avenue Writers’ Block is Jack London Square, home of a part of Jack London’s Klondike cabin and the
Celebrating Jack London’s Legacy Read More »
There are three major changes that can be seen in the organization of the 30th edition of the Dawson City International Gold Show, which will
Gearing up for the 30th Gold Show Read More »
“Ten years we’ve been doing this and we never quite know what’s going to happen each time.” Nijen Holland (usually just known as Nijen) was
Music for Fun and a Good Cause Read More »
In the view of Dr. Ken Coates, the North’s response to the challenge presented by World War I was to do the opposite of what
The Yukon and the First World War Read More »
Twenty years ago the late Madeleine Gould’s lengthy quest (1987-1996) to join the Yukon Order of Pioneers ended with a Supreme Court of Canada decision.
Twenty Years of Pioneer Women Celebrated at the Hospital Read More »
The KVA spends money marketing Dawson City as a tourism destination, an effort that benefits the entire Yukon.
The role of the KVA in the Klondike Read More »
The streets of Dawson vary in size, height, width and smoothness with the seasons. In spite of snowfall and the need to plough them, they
Taking it to the Streets Read More »
Unlike many a published author, Saskatoon writer Sandy Bonny didn’t study to become one. It just happened. “I haven’t got an English degree,” she says,
Nurturing Good Writing Read More »
Dianne Whelan is an award winning filmmaker, photographer and author who lived, until fairly recently, in Vancouver. At the time of this interview she was
Converting Adventure into Books and Film Read More »
I’ve been enjoying a couple of relatively new books about the work of the latecTed Harrison. They are Ted Harrison Collected (Douglas & McIntyre) and
Dawson and the Harrison Effect Read More »
For 20 years, Robert (Bob) Hayes was the Yukon’s wolf biologist. During those years, he studied hundreds of radio-collared wolves and conducted several long-term wolf-prey
Sharing His Knowledge of Wolves Read More »
Why is Robert Service so much better known here than Jack London? This question comes from Wolfgang Robert Greiner, one of five German journalists I
Germans love Jack London Read More »
