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When organizers went back to check the record books, it was discovered this year was in fact the 48th year the carnival has run, not the 49th as earlier reported. The carnival was first held in 1955.
This year was not a good one for the carnival. It was late getting off the ground and volunteers proved difficult to come by. As a result, the March carnival was scaled back from a full-weekend to a half-day event and entitled "Caribou Carnival: Under Construction."
Carnival president Ellie Sasseville said organizers were committed to holding a smaller carnival so they could regroup for 50th anniversary celebrations in 2004, that she hoped would be "bigger and better."
Though their golden anniversary celebrations will be on hold for another year, Sasseville said that won't mean next spring's carnival will be any less exciting.
"The last eight carnivals weren't that great but it's getting better," said Sasseville.
"We've done a little bit of consultation with the community so now we sort of know what people are looking for."
Carnival planning is also off to an earlier start. The board of directors began planning next year's carnival in August instead of January.
They've also hired additional staff to coordinate carnival favourites like the Caribou Capers and Quest for the Crown.
"We're trying desperately to save this carnival and make it hugely successful and grow it into something else," Sasseville said.
"It needs to be revamped and reorganized."
She said they plan to introduce new events while keeping old favourites like the capers and the ugly dog and truck competition.
Great Slave MLA Bill Braden led the charge earlier this year to create a Yellowknife Events Support Agency to help organizers of volunteer-run events. 50th anniversary or not, he said, next year's carnival promises to be much better than the last.
The carnival is scheduled for March 26-28.
