NUNAVUT - Northerners love a good parade.

From Kugaaruk to Cape Dorset to Iqaluit, dozens of Northerners will hop in their pick-up trucks, wipe off the dust, put some streamers on and show community pride this summer.

Many communities got their parade on these past few weeks with the one-two-three of Aboriginal Day, Canada Day and Nunavut Day.

In Iqaluit, residents gathered along Apex Road to watch the Canada Day parade headed by the RCMP and followed by the town's crew of emergency vehicles and a long line of red-and-white decorated trucks.

It was Bernice Kootoo's first time participating in the parade.

"I've seen it on the side of the road many times and I wanted to be a part of it," she said.

"I wanted to be part of the fun."

For her, being in the parade was all about community spirit -- Kootoo was driving the Celebrate Canada committee's float for the parade. Kootoo had the added honour of bearing the official mascot of the parade, Uummati the maple leaf, in her cherry red truck.

Uummati was named in a contest held for the mascot last year. Uummati means "heart" in Inuktitut.

Of course, Iqaluit wasn't the only community to wish Canada a happy birthday with a parade.

In Cape Dorset, July 1 was celebrated with a parade around the whole community followed by a barbecue at the ball field, said Olayuk Akesuk, the hamlet's director of recreation.

And in Kugaaruk, Canada Day and Nunavut Day events will be celebrated by a community parade led by a community fire truck.

And even in the communities that don't hold parades, summer holidays will still be celebrated with another Northern staple: the community picnic.