Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
Yellowknife is the culturally rich capital of the Northwest Territories, thriving with diversity and resources, Yellowknife and its surrounding water bodies were named after the local Yellowknive Dene First Nation, who crafted their tools from regional copper deposits. The current population is ethnically mixed and out of eleven official languages of the Northwest Territories, five are spoken in significant numbers: Dene Suline, Dogrib, South and North Slavey, English and French.
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This unique city on the edge of the Arctic is situated on the Canadian Shield and lies right on the shores of beautiful Great Slave Lake, only 512 km south of the Arctic Circle. In the heart of the wilderness, Yellowknife has always been known for its gold, while today attractions include diamonds, the midnight sun, the Aurora Borealis, outdoor recreation, and an unusual blend of northern culture. Tourists mainly come to experience the Northern climate, the traditional lifestyle, and of course the Aurora Borealis, otherwise known as the Northern Lights.
If you are visiting Yellowknife, don’t forget to watch out for the spectacular Aurora Borealis! The Northern Lights can be seen all throughout the year in Canada, especially from Whitehorse, Yellowknife, Fort Simpson, Muncho Lake, Flin Flon and Churchill. From these cities, you can go on a guided tour to get the best views of the Aurora Borealis. The fall and winter are the best time of year to see the lights.
Built on gold and growing with diamonds, Yellowknife offers unrivalled opportunities for investment, tourism, business development and employment. The abundance of minerals, oil and gas in the Northwest Territories has had dramatic economic impacts on Yellowknife and today the city’s history is found within its modern, active metropolis.
Summer festivals include Folk on the Rocks, an annual local music festival since 1980, The Midnight Sun Golf Tournament and the annual summer Raven Mad Daze festival, a street festival celebrated as part of the Solstice Festival. During the winter, there is the SnowKing Festival, where a unique snow castle on Great Slave Lake, becomes the centre of winter arts activity in Yellowknife, including concerts, art shows, theatre and fireworks. Caribou Carnival is held every March on Frame Lake and has ice sculpting competitions, dogsled races and fireworks displays. In 2008, Yellowknife will be hosting the Arctic Winter Games.
Some other notable places to visit in Yellowknife include the Wildcat Café, The Gold Range Bar and the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre. Also, there is the Ingraham Trail, local fishing lodges, aviation culture, and Old Town architecture, all representing the city's heritage, and how it has grown over the years.