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Subdued Sunrise Festival lights up Inuvik’s weekend

Even with Covid-19 in the air, spirits were still strong as the Town of Invuik forged ahead with its annual Sunrise Festival, albeit with a highly subdued schedule.
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Ophelia Dagar dangles the sun over a fish sculpture coming to the surface for the spring. The sculpture was made by the whole Dagar family. Photo courtesy of Leigha Dmitroff

Even with Covid-19 in the air, spirits were still strong as the Town of Invuik forged ahead with its annual Sunrise Festival, albeit with a highly subdued schedule.

                                            Gracie Adams poses with her skier snowperson she sculpted for the Inuvik Sunrise Festival’s snow sculpting contest — with Covid-19 outbreaks ongoing, the town opted for a subdued festival this year after initially delaying the annual celebration by two weeks. Photo courtesy of Andrea Adams
Gracie Adams poses with her skier snowperson she sculpted for the Inuvik Sunrise Festival's snow sculpting contest — with Covid-19 outbreaks ongoing, the town opted for a subdued festival this year after initially delaying the annual celebration by two weeks. Photo courtesy of Andrea Adams

Planners had already set out a modest schedule in the first place, with no major feasts or performances, instead opting for a limited Arctic Market and taste of Inuvik, a few movies and public skates, a mitten making workshop and a snowmobile parade on top of fireworks, snowperson making contests and the lantern light up, but ultimately settled on just the last three events after the festival was delayed by two weeks.

“We decided we’ve delayed long enough,” said Mayor Clarence Wood. “To be quite honest, I don’t know how the situation is going to change in the next month or so, so it’s either now or never. But we did scale it back somewhat, we got rid of the activities or events to limit public exposure. We kept a few things, obviously the big thing was the fireworks.

“This Covid-19 situation has slowed everything down.”

Even the traditional bonfire was scrapped for the second year in a row. Instead, residents gathered in their vehicles along the Mackenzie River to watch the fireworks as the weather finally cooperated with organizers.

Residents were invited to make their own snowperson and lantern display for a community-wide contest. All through Sunday afternoon, town staff made their way through town checking out people’s porch and yard displays.

With assistance from the Inuvialuit Communications Society’s team of photographers, the town was busy sampling displays until well into the evening. The team finally wrapped up at about 10:30 p.m. Sunday night.

                                            Amelia and Sierra Pidborochynski show off snow sculptures they made at their mom’s camp, including bears, fish and a heart. Photo courtesy of Nikki Pidborochynski
Amelia and Sierra Pidborochynski show off snow sculptures they made at their mom's camp, including bears, fish and a heart. Photo courtesy of Nikki Pidborochynski

“Our gear is frozen but our hearts are warm,” wrote economic and tourism director Jackie Challis. “We saw some incredible lanterns and more importantly we were able to see families, neighbours, children, & children at heart come to together to help Celebrate the Light and the return of the Sun.”

There is still an opportunity to enter the contests for anyone who wasn’t able to participate over the weekend. Residents are invited to either take a selfie of themselves with their lantern display or snowperson and sent it to the town at tourism@inuvik.ca or text it to 867 678-5398 or on Facebook Messenger to Inuvik Sunrise Festival FB Page.

Photos will be published on the Inuvik Sunrise Festival FB page later in the month.

Wood said he was impressed with how the town has handled the current outbreak, which has hung over the town since the start of the year.

                                            A long-exposure shot of the Jan. 22 fireworks show over the Mackenzie River. Eric Bowling/NNSL photo
A long-exposure shot of the Jan. 22 fireworks show over the Mackenzie River. Eric Bowling/NNSL photo

“I think the town’s been doing a good job on it,” he said. “We’ve tried to do as much as possible for people to give them something to do. Unfortunately the restraints from the Covid-19 secretariat have been tight, so it’s been difficult to do anything normal.”

Wood said it was too early to tell if the town’s spring festival, the Muskrat Jamboree, would befall a similar reduction in scope.

But he said organizers were monitoring the situation.

“We’re taking each one as they come,” he said. “I don’t know what the situation is going to be be even next month. We could be out of all these lock-downs and everybody could be doing their normal thing. On the other hand, we could be even tighter than we are now.

“We don’t know.”

                          A long-exposure shot of the Jan. 22 fireworks show over the Mackenzie River. Eric Bowling/NNSL photo          A long-exposure shot of the Jan. 22 fireworks show over the Mackenzie River. Eric Bowling/NNSL photo

                          A long-exposure shot of the Jan. 22 fireworks show over the Mackenzie River. Eric Bowling/NNSL photo          A long-exposure shot of the Jan. 22 fireworks show over the Mackenzie River. Eric Bowling/NNSL photo

Ophelia Dagar dangles the sun over a fish sculpture coming to the surface for the spring. The sculpture was made by the whole Dagar family. Photo courtesy of Leigha Dmitroff



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