Yellowknife (Dec 22/04) - Don't toil away the days waiting for anxious anticipation, Carol Van Tighem said it's time to get excited about Caribou Carnival right now.

March 24-27 will mark the festival's 50th anniversary and carnival organizers want every idea Yellowknifers can think to make this the most memorable party of the last 50 years.

Beginning this week, flip charts will appear throughout the city.

This is your chance to come up with some wild new contests or revive some events of years passed.

"We might just get some super ideas," said Van Tighem, Caribou Carnival 2005 co-ordinator.

"It's Yellowknife saying what it wants."

Being the carnival's 50th birthday, organizers have already been hard at work digging up some games from the days of old.

You may be too young to recall them, but events such as the front-lawn snow sculpture contest, the cord wood bonspiel, where kids decorate blocks of wood to use in a curling match, and an old-timer's dance will all make a comeback.

"We want to bring the spirit of that history back this year," Van Tighem said.

Bush Gear Dining Week is another idea still in play.

"We'd like everyone to start wearing bush gear for the whole week," said Van Tighem.

She's talking jeans, suspenders, fur hats, the whole deal.

Yellowknife eateries could follow suit and cook up some camp food or gold fever cooking.

All ideas are welcome and nothing is too out there, but do keep expense in mind.

Volunteers are also encouraged to sign up on the spot when they encounter a flip chart. It's never too early.

"I hope that people say what they want and I hope that we get lots of volunteers," said Van Tighem.

"Let's make this the biggest and best one yet."