INUVIK
One day into sales at the 29th annual Great Northern Arts Festival, Angel Simon was shocked with the number of items ringing through her register.

Marie Horstead, executive director of the festival, welcomes the audience to the Midnight Sun Complex. - Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

"This is my first year working with them, so I really have nothing to compare, but when I see the amount of sales coming through, it really blows my mind," said Simon, who was staffing the checkout in the gallery. "It seems to be quite a lot."

Earrings and beaded work seemed to be the most popular early on. Simon estimated that the gallery had gone through 10 per cent of its inventory just a few hours into the first day, though the inventory is continually replenished throughout the festival.

She praised the volunteers and organizers who helped make the event happen.

"Like little cogs in a clock, everybody's coming together," said Simon. "It's kind of eye-watering to see how beautiful they are. Everybody comes in, everybody has their job and everybody works together. It's wonderful."

She wasn't the only one with something in her eye during the launch of the festival.

Jennifer Rafferty, chair of the festival society's board, struggled through some of her statements during the opening ceremonies.

"Although Inuvik may not have the same kind of resources it once did, resilience and adaptability are abundant," she said, thanking executive director Marie Horstead for her work in executing her second GNAF.

Mayor Jim McDonald said it's certainly been a difficult year for the team behind the festival.

"The Great Northern Arts Festival is an irreplaceable event in Inuvik," he said. "Summer wouldn't be the same without it. I know I'm not the only one who looks forward to meeting the artists and the visitors here who attend the festival."

Jordan Peterson, vice-president of the Gwich'in Tribal Council, said attending the festival each year has been one of his highlights every summer since he was a child.

Back then, there was more soapstone and carving work, and now painting and other forms of expression seem more popular.

"It's really important for us to support these type of events," said Peterson.

"Many times, the cost for artists to survive isn't something that they can do on their own, from shipping to marketing of themselves. Without the Great Northern Arts Festival and other festivals throughout the North, it's a bit more of a challenge."

The festival continues until Sunday, July 23.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.