Inuvik’s Muskrat Jamboree will take place this April

Inuvik’s Muskrat Jamboree is officially a go for mid-April after receiving conditional approval from the territory’s chief public health officer.

In a news release on Tuesday, organizers said they were “excited to resume this important rite of passage as spring returns to the Mackenzie Delta.”

The celebrations – cancelled last year due to Covid-19 – will take place from April 9-13.  

“The Inuvik Muskrat Jamboree is a true celebration of northern living, cultural pride, and traditional and contemporary life in our Arctic community,” the news release read.

“We look forward to the day that allows for no restrictions on limits or capacities, but hope to see people from all over the Northwest Territories join us as we celebrate spring in the Mackenzie Delta for this annual family-friendly, drug and alcohol-free event.”

This year’s Long John Jamboree in Yellowknife was cancelled outright, marking the fourth successive year the event has been disrupted in some way.

Other communities, however, have forged ahead with alternative formats. The Peel River Jamboree in Fort McPherson will mix online and in-person event styles, while the Tuktoyaktuk Beluga Jamboree is set to happen on the condition that no outbreaks occur in the area beforehand.  

Several of the Muskrat Jamboree’s better-known events are going ahead, including skidoo, snowshoe, and dogsled races as well as harpoon throwing and tea boiling. Social distancing protocols, capacity restrictions and masks will be in place for all events.

Larger events have been excluded from this year’s iteration, such as the opening ceremonies, drumming and dancing, the community feast, and old-time dances.

A full schedule of events and times is available on the Jamboree website.