Yellowknife (May 21/04) - It's the first real sign of summer, or in Yellowknife's case, spring.

The placard on the door of the Wildcat Cafe which has read "closed" all winter will be flipped to "open" on Victoria Day, Monday, May 24.

Kerrin Patterson is operating the Wildcat for the third year in a row.

"I'm very nervous," she said.

That's because, due to to continuing cold weather, the Cafe still didn't have the water on by Wednesday. But even if there is no water on Monday, the Wildcat will still open on schedule.

Patterson has a plan B.

"I'll bring out the barbecue and give out free hot dogs and hamburgers while Lee and George do their thing inside," she said.

Fiddlers Lee and George Mandeville will entertain on opening night. They also helped open the cafe last year.

"It's all for the love of the food," said Patterson.

Her daughter will be cooking with her most nights, but back again this summer will be the guest chefs on Saturdays.

First on the bill will be Mary Bryant who's rumoured to be whipping up a Greek lamb stew next weekend.

Steve Smith will also be back with the weekly Friday night jams.

Built in 1937, when Old Town was the only town and Yellowknife was in the grips of a gold rush, the Wildcat is not only a landmark, it's a municipally designated heritage site.

In the 25 years that the Wildcat Cafe has been a Northern-themed restaurant, the number of Yellowknifers who have eaten there is only slightly larger than the number who have worked there. Diners eat family-style whether they're family or not, sharing benches at huge wooden tables.

A replica of the Cafe stands in the Canada Hall of the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau.