Dawson City has to be one of the most unique cities in Canada. Add to that its location in the incomparable Yukon Territory and it’s a must on traveller’s itineraries. Each summer, it becomes the popular kid at the party by hosting the Dawson City Music Festival.
Musicians from all over North America make the trek up to the Klondike Gold Rush city to play in fantastic venues along the Yukon River, in Minto Park, at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, the historical Palace Grand Theatre and the First Nations culture centre dänojà zho.
It’s not uncommon to hear the music of names like Mother Mother, The Acorn, Sunset Rubdown, Crash the Car, SoCalled, Luke Doucet, Melissa McClelland, Bend Sinister, Chad Van Gaalen, Headwater and Katie Moore.
Music Workshops
Not only do the artists perform nightly at the fest, but some hold fantastic workshops, too. Want to learn the intricacies of Flamenco music and dance? Always wanted some tips for singing gospel? Headliners break it down in an intimate environment for the audience to participate and get to know the musicians better.
The bigger performances take place on the weekend evenings, but the daytimes are just as exciting. Either take in a workshop, going on all day on Saturday and Sunday, or take in the city.
Streets are abuzz with festivalgoers wandering around, trying to wake up from late nights and the bright midnight sun (during the summer, Dawson City gets about 20 hours of sunlight per day). Join them and explore the Klondike Gold Rush buildings, take a Parks Canada walking tour and attend a poetry reading at the Robert Service Cabin or the Jack London Cabin.
Dawson City Hotels
The best advice for attending the music festival is to book accommodations early. The city is small (under 2,000 residents) and only so many hotels can fit along the dirt streets. The only way to counter that is to plan ahead and reserve a room as soon as possible.
Camping in Dawson City
If a hotel room is just too upper-class, set up camp across the Yukon River. A free ferry takes travellers back and forth all day and night. Camping grounds include:
- Goldrush Campground (867-993-5247)
- The Dawson City River Hostel across the river (867-993-6823)
- The Yukon River Campground across the river (867-993-5648 or 1-800-661-0408)
- The Klondike River Campground at Rock Creek (867-993-5648 or 1-800-661-0408)
Other amenities of the festival include a very active beer garden; vendors selling clothes and souvenirs throughout the day; a merchandise tent with the musicians’ CDs, as well as festival t-shirts and gear; and the Humane Society Barbeque on Saturday in the late afternoon.
Lori Henry - A travel writer, Lori flits between exploring the world with incessant curiosity and huddling over her laptop writing.
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