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Arts Fest Saturday at Riverside Park!

Arts Fest at Riverside Park on Front Street: 11-4pm
INFO BOOTH
Come and visit us for information on all things YRAF, and check out our amazing merch!
YRAF ARTIST MARKET
Featuring work by local and regional artists, crafters and artisans.
KIDS TENT
Drop-in art activities for Children and Youth:
Cyanotype printing, Painting, and Theatre arts
Giant bubbles with Matchoo
WORKSHOPS & DEMOS
Community-driven Loom Weaving Demo and Workshop by Janice Brodie and Marilyn Smith – at ODD Gallery (11:00 AM to 3:00 PM)
Join Northern Fibres Guild members as they demonstrate loom weaving at the setting of their ODD Gallery exhibit.
Blacksmithing with Jeake Armstrong – Riverside Park
Come on down to watch Jake burn some Pennsylvania real estate on his restored 1800s coal forge and play Jake’s favourite games, “What’s that old rusty piece of metal?” and the timeless classic “Was It Forged ???!”
Live Portrait Drawing with Nico DeRepentigny – Riverside Park
Find Nico with their easel and get your portrait made!
Public Painting with Gorellaume – at Dënäkär Zho/KIAC back porch
LIVE MUSIC STAGE
11:00 – 4:00ish on the Driftwood stage next to the Artist Market – Co-presented by The Dawson City Bunkhouse
11 – 11:25 Dieter Weise
11:40 – 12:05 Jeymama
12:20 – 12:45 Jules Nominal
1:00 – 1:25 Sam Connolly
1:40 – 2:05 Mad Ran
2:20 – 2:45 Chris Bourque
3:00 – 3:25 Sam Huxley
3:40 – 4:05 River Bends
EVENING EVENTS
5:00 PM to 6:00 PM – Artist Talk By Melissa Naef – at Peabody’s P.B.G Gallery
“Tailings”, a long-form photography documentation project that explores characteristics of Dawson City, Yukon, by the local artist, and recent NASCAD graduate, Melissa Naef. Join her for a talk about her work, hosted by Peabody’s P.B.G Gallery.
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM – Artist Meet & Greet Cocktail – at Dënäkär Zho/KIAC Ballroom
Ease into the evening with the Artist Meet & Greet Cocktail from 7–9 PM – Just before our big dance party!
Open to all, this laid-back mixer brings together artists, festival folks, and guests for good conversation, drinks, and food—courtesy of Bonanza Market.
9:00 PM to 1:00 AM – YRAF2K – Our 25th Anniversary Y2K themed Party! – at Dënäkär Zho/KIAC Ballroom
The Yukon Riverside Arts Festival turns 25, and we’re throwing it back to the Y2K era to celebrate like’s it’s the new Millenium! Whether you’re reliving your teen years or finally discovering the strange magic of low-rise jeans, this is your moment. Dress code: Delia’s catalog-core, Matrix-pilled looks, mesh, metallics, plastic —go off! Outfits encouraged. Clear electronics, tamagotchis, beepers, an asset. Embarrassing dance moves welcome.
DJs White Bread & Y0B to the 993 will be spinning 90s and early 2000s bangers all night!
Let’s party like it’s 1999—for old times’ sake. Sponsored by Yukon Brewing – Beer worth freezin’ for!
Learn More About…
Artist In Residence Activities & Outreach
Artist in Residence activities include artist talks, studio tours, interactive events, and more.
Founded in 2001, in a partnership with Parks Canada, the KIAC Artist in Residence Program has welcomed over 300 talented artists, musicians and filmmakers to Dawson City from all regions of Canada and around the world. Our alumni include Sobey Art Award nominees, Western Canada Music Award winners, and prize-winning filmmakers from film festivals across the globe.
Check out the current Artists in Residence
Film Events
Film activities include film screenings, film selections, and more.
KIAC is proud to host an exciting roster of film screenings and film-related events throughout the year, such as the 48 Hour Film Challenge and Dawson City International Short Film Festival, numerous workshops, and other opportunities.
Exhibitions
Exhibition activities include gallery viewing hours, exhibition openings, artist talks, calls for submissions, and more.
ODD Gallery
The ODD Gallery, located in the Dënäkär Zho / KIAC building, presents a wide array of outreach programming including artist talks, openings, lectures, screenings, youth programs and other special events. Gallery programming fosters professionalism and appreciation of regional visual arts practice, and provides the community with exposure and access to a diverse range of contemporary visual arts practices and theories in a remote, northern setting.
Check out the current exhibition
Kids & Youth Programs
Kids & youth activities include: music lessons, art classes, dance classes, book readings, toddler classes, after-school programs.
Year-Round Programming
Kids and Youth (toddler to teen) programming ranges from music lessons (vocals, piano) to dance class (ballet, hip hop, and more), to hands-on workshops (pottery, screen-printing, animation and more) and is offered regularly throughout the year. KIAC strives to subsidize Kids & Youth programs as much as possible via grants and funding. Programming ranges from free Drop-Ins to registered weekly programs.
Youth Art Enrichment
Youth Art Enrichment is an annual four-day art program for Yukon youth hosted by the Klondike Institute of Art & Culture in Dawson City. Artistically-inclined youth ages 14 – 18 travel from across the Yukon to take part in intensive workshops led by professional artists. Students choose one of three mediums to study for the duration of the program, learning new skills, techniques, and ways to creatively make artwork for the world to see. The mediums change every year: we have offered printmaking, animation, painting, carving, stained glass, illustration, improv, and much more over the last two decades.
Learn more about Youth Art Enrichment
Performing Arts
Performing arts activities include: concerts, theatre and dance performances, open mics, radio broadcasts, special events, and more.
KIAC presents a year-round professional performing arts series in the beautiful second floor Ballroom that actively engages our community and provides inspiring performance opportunities for international, national, and regional artists in many disciplines. Our diverse programming includes jazz, classical, folk & roots, experimental, dance, theatre, and more.
Workshops
Workshops include: weekly drop-ins, registered programs, weekend workshops, and more.
KIAC presents a year-round schedule of educational opportunities ranging from drop in programs (pottery, screenprinting, seniors painting, concert band), to registered workshops (dance, music, film, visual art, craft, textiles, etc), to professional development opportunities for artists (grant writing, artwork documentation, etc).
Learn more about registration, upcoming courses, and outreach activities.
