Brian McCutcheon, a relatively new resident of Yellowknife, has always celebrated the winter solstice in Calgary in the past and wanted to continue doing so in Yellowknife.

But after asking around, he discovered there has never been a public celebration in honour of the Saturday, Dec. 21 event, only private gatherings.

"I asked around last year and people said 'we have backyard parties and throw a log on the fire and have another drink,'" he said.

That wasn't really his thing and he was a little surprised, especially since the summer solstice is the most festive occasion of the year, celebrated with Raven Mad Daze.

So McCutcheon and a group of his "community-spirited" friends took matters into their own hands and began planning a celebration for everyone to join.

First, they booked the main auditorium at Northern United Place and then started rounding up volunteers.

Next came the planning stage. McCutcheon said the focus of the celebrations will be spiritual, drawing on aboriginal, Celtic and other ancient cultural traditions.

"The room will be set up in a circle and the various people who will be leading parts of the ceremonies will work within the circle, talk and tell stories, lead in singing of songs and we have a woman from the West coast who has offered to lead the people in a spiral dance.

"It's just a different way of connecting to how the world works in terms of the natural cycles. That's what it's all about for me," said McCutcheon.

The event is geared primarily towards adults, but children can join in on the festivities as well.

The celebration will begin Saturday at 7 p.m. inside the Northern United Place main auditorium. The one-hour ceremony will be followed with snacks and refreshments.