Christine Grimard
Northern News Services
Wednesday, March 28, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - Caribou Carnival Association President Don Finnamore said he expects the event to break even this year.

It takes between $60,000 and $80,000 to run the carnival, and that's on top of the donations such as plane tickets and prizes the association receives from sponsors, said Finnamore.

"Part of the problem in Yellowknife is that there aren't a lot of organizations that contribute money," said Finnamore. "But everybody and their dog is trying to get at it."

Finnamore said that with all the organizations in town looking for help, the only way to drum up money is to get information out early while collecting contributions.

Bill Braden, MLA for Great Slave and a former director and president of the Caribou Carnival association, also understands the challenges of keeping the carnival running.

"Over time a community takes things for granted, that the Caribou Carnival will happen every year," said Braden.

"There are some cash costs to these things that you just can't get around."

Multi-year commitments by corporate sponsors are necessary for the continuation of the carnival, so organizers know they have some money they can rely on when they start planning, said Braden.

With so many events to compete with in the North, it can be a challenge to keep sponsors and volunteers, said Braden. Braden noted that next year will prove challenging as the carnival will be competing with the Arctic Winter Games set to happen in Yellowknife.

Grant Pryznyk, who co-ordinated the carnival this year, said he had a tough time finding volunteers, especially to set up the site.

Only a handful of people stayed around on Sunday to help with the tear down.

Turnout, however, was a great success with more than 6,000 admission buttons sold, according to Pryznyk.

Although the buttons had been on sale since Feb. 20, around half of those buttons were sold the week before the carnival.

Pryznyk ran out of the first 5,000 he had distributed the week before the carnival, and had to order another 1,000 at the last minute.

"Everybody was waiting to see if the weather was nice," said Pryznyk.

With attendance so dependent on the weather, it can be difficult to predict what the turnout will be.

"That's the least thing that you can control," said Braden.

Pryznyk said he was expecting fewer people than usual as the festivities happened in the middle of Spring Break.

With temperatures hovering just below zero on Friday, the weather proved to be in their favour in drawing out a crowd.

So many people came out that the non-profit vendors appeared to be overwhelmed, as few showed up on Sunday.

Finnamore figures they must have run out of food.

Friday night's fireworks was a pleasant surprise for those disappointed by the dismal show on New Year's.

Fireworks Supervisor Don Helfrick told Yellowknifer last week the show might not be as big as past shows due to tougher regulations brought on by Canadian anti-terrorism legislation.

Regualtions were tightened in 2004, but not because of anti-terrorism legislation, according to the federal Department of Natural Resources.

Fireworks over six inches in length were re-classified by the department because of some deadly fireworks accidents in Europe, according to department official Chris Watson.

Nonetheless, Friday night's show was well received by carnival goers.

"It was really good," said Marc Auger.

"Better than New Year's. They lasted longer."

"It was awesome," said Marie Halle. "Very well done." The closing meeting for the 2007 Caribou Carnival will happen April 11, followed by the Annual General Meeting of the association in May.

- with files from Mike W. Bryant.