IQALUIT - At this year's Alianait! Arts festival, music lovers can expect a variety of acts ranging from Sami music from Norway to a circus to traditional Quebecois music.

Johnny Issaluk demonstrates a two-foot high kick as Suzie Pearce looks on during a special Inuit games demonstration at last year's Alianait! Arts Festival. - NNSL file photo

The selection committee looked for artists that fit with this year's theme "Polar rhythms" which was chosen in line with International Polar Year.

"When we're trying to figure out our themes, we try to get an instrument or something that links all of the cultures in Nunavut," said Nadia Ciccone, one of the four main volunteer organizers of the event.

In its third year running, she said the festival now has better organization and a lot more funding.

"Last year was quite a big show, this year's even bigger," she said.

To give an idea of how many artists will be there, Ciccone said about 54 airline tickets have been bought for those coming from the South alone.

Along with Northern and Southern Canadian acts, international artists such as Katuutiit, a Greenlandic hip-hop group, will be travelling to Nunavut to join in the festivities.

Music aside, people of all ages will also be given opportunity to check out some theatre, art displays, films, a circus storytelling and more. Ciccone said she believes the circus will be a hit with youth, because it's performed by youth.

"It's really incredible what they're doing - I think for youth that's going to be number one," she said.

There will be a lot geared towards adults, as well.

"I think both of the opening and closing ceremonies are going to be fantastic... I think both of those events for the adults are going to be really big," she said.

The festival will begin on National Aboriginal Day on June 21. Along with other activities, there will be performances by ArtCirq, Berit Margrethe Oskal and Ann-Mari Andersen (Norway), Feat (Greendland) and Katuutit.

The closing ceremonies, which are to take place on July 1 (Canada Day), will include among other activities performances by Diego Marulanda and Pacandé (Colombia), Juan Sebastian Larobina and Cambridge Bay Drummers.

Ciccone said that many hours of volunteer work and planning goes into the making of the festival, and that work is already being done on the 2008 event.

"I'm just looking forward to this town turning into a festival and having a festival year after year," she said.