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Weekend celebration to welcome back sun
Annual Sunrise Festival takes place this weekend with Incandescent dance project

Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Thursday, January 5, 2017

INUVIK
The sun will rise again in Inuvik this Friday and that means Inuvik's annual Sunrise Festival will accompany it.

NNSL photo/graphic

Dee Dee Nasogaluak dances for the crowd at the Sunrise Festival last year. This year, the Incandescent dance project will involve dozens of community members. - NNSL file photo

"This year will be quite interesting," said Vicky Grégoire-Tremblay, economic development and tourism manager for the Town of Inuvik.

One event she looks forward to is Saturday night's concert at the Midnight Sun Complex, which will feature Leonard Boniface and Mahamadou Traore bringing sounds from Tanzania and Mali. Inuvik's Louie Goose and Brian Turner will also perform.

"On Sunday, we're going to have curling, yoga, more children's games and activities and sno-pitch, so that people can be active and enjoy the ice village in the morning," said Grégoire-Tremblay.

"Everything (on Sunday) will happen at Twin Lakes. It's going to be central there so people will be able to move from one activity to another."

The annual event is mostly attended by locals, she said, but some out-of-towners do partake.

"It gives them an idea of what Inuvik is all about," said Grégoire-Tremblay.

"It's a great opportunity to get the community together, enjoy some really interesting activities, get people moving and active outside, enjoy a variety of cultures, enjoy what Inuvik is all about - and of course (celebrate) the return of the sun."

Mascots from the Town of Inuvik, Fire Department, RCMP and Parks Canada will all be touring events during the weekend.

"(Planning the festival) is always a lot of work," said Grégoire-Tremblay. "We have lots of people contributing in one way or another to the event."

Events kick off Friday, Jan. 6, lasting until Sunday, Jan. 8.

The sun is expected to rise at 1:40 p.m. on Friday. The festival begins at 6 p.m. that night with A Taste of Inuvik, which offers diverse food dishes to purchase, plus a children's movie at the complex.

At 8 p.m., the Inuvik Drummers and Dancers will take the stage at MSC to demonstrate Inuvialuit culture through story and song. A jigging demonstration will follow the performance at 8:30 p.m., and the night will end with an old time themed dance.

Saturday and Sunday are both jam-packed with events, starting at 10 a.m. with breakfast at East Three Secondary School (not, as in previous years, at the Royal Canadian Legion) and a snow carving competition at Twin Lakes presented by Ice Wireless.

There will be a shuttle at 1 p.m. Saturday to take people to Bypass Road for the best view of the rising sun, which is expected to begin its ascent at 1:28 p.m.

New this year is the Incandescent dance project, a 10-minute dance performed by community members to welcome the return of the sun. The dance will take place at the Ice Village at Twin Lakes at 6 p.m. on Saturday, with the bonfire and fireworks following it. A concert at the complex will end the night.

Sunday is more of an active day, with yoga in the morning, curling in the afternoon and sno-pitch in between.

Many more activities and demonstrations are happening throughout the weekend. Look for "Inuvik Sunrise Festival" on Facebook for a full schedule.

"It's a great opportunity to relax, enjoy the winter and enjoy the return of the sun," said Grégoire-Tremblay.

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