A new old Yellowknife tradition successfully pulled off its 4th year. The Beer Barge festival started in 2009 in celebration of YK75 and has since been a summer event staple in Yellowknife for people old and young.
Many moons ago before a road ever connected Yellowknife with the outside world, or rather when Tony Whitford was a young boy, the arrival of the barge in Yellowknife was an eventful spring day. Having gone through the winter without any barges the towns supply of liquor dried up, along with other supplies, but the booze was the important commodity. So when that first barge arrived in the spring it would be been as if new life was given to the town.
This tradition is now celebrated with dinner, drinks and entertainment and this is exactly what happened Saturday night.
Long time Yellowknifers were mixed in with the younger generation as stories of the past were told, beers were drunk and music was danced to, on the Wardair Dock in Yellowknife’s Old Town.
Yellowknife fascinates me, I think that is no surprise, so I’m pleased to learned a little about how this beautiful city I call home came to be.
While at this years Beer Barge I had the pleasure of being with a relatively new Yellowknifer who has come to like Yellowknife. James is a co-worker of mine and a far better writer, that is his job after all. He too has a blog and he shared his experience of the Beer Barge.
It was clear by the sold out crowd that this event is here to stay. Not only that though, I foresee this event being a draw of tourist to this town. This event uncovers the great mystery of the last northern frontier, how the north came to be.
So until next year, stay young Yellowknife, stay foolish.
