Long John Jamboree, ‘in the black,’ will go ahead in 2020

Yellowknife’s Long John Jamboree looks set to go ahead this year as organizers of the annual event on Tuesday announced tentative 2020 dates of March 27 to 29.

Garett Cochrane, acting president of the Jamboree’s board of directors, urged residents to come on board as organizers of the 2020 edition, inviting people with “new ideas and energy” to a January 30 annual general meeting.

The festivities have been at the “mercy of the weather” in recent years, organizers stated in a news release on Tuesday, including a day of cancelled events during a 2018 blizzard and a last-minute venue change to the fieldhouse parking lot following 2019’s heatwave.

Both of these weather events led to a “significant drop in revenue,” organizers stated. “Despite this, the Jamboree is in the black.”

“We recognize that there’s been uncertainty about the Jamboree’s future,” Cochrane said, “but we believe in the Jamboree and feel confident that the community of Yellowknife will come out and support it.”

Founded in 2012 by a group of volunteers, the Jamboree continued the tradition of Yellowknife’s long-running Caribou Carnival. The event draws ice carvers from around the world for the De Beers Inspired Ice NWT ice carving championship, as well as hosting sports tournaments, live music, and stalls selling food and art.

Read more: Snowking launches line-up but Jamboree’s future uncertain

The Jamboree’s annual general meeting takes place on January 30 at 7pm at the Mermaid and Moon Boutique (4909 47 Street).