Skip to main content

Find out more about the current wildfire and wildfire-related concerns in the NWT.

Home Story Best Fests!
Folk on the Rocks in Yellowknife, NWT, Canada

Best Fests!
Experience the finest
summer events in Canada's party-hardy North

There’s tons of great reasons to visit the Northwest Territories this time of year, like the midnight sun, golden lakes, and 40-pound trout. But our best summer feature is our festivals. Check out famous Folk on the Rocks, a weekend-long musical extravaganza on the shores of Yellowknife’s Long Lake. Revel in Indigenous performances, paintings, sculptures and crafts at the Great Northern Arts Festival in Inuvik. Or tee off in the world’s northernmost golf tourney, the Billy Joss Open in exotic Ulukhaktok.

Scroll down to discover more about our stunning summer fests, and explore other amazing events in the spectacular Northwest Territories.

The Great Northern Arts Festival in Inuvik, NWT, Canada

The Great Northern Arts Festival

A dizzying showcase of polar sights and sounds, the Arctic’s greatest gathering of creative types occurs over 10 days in mid-July in the heart of colourful Inuvik. Witness (and perhaps purchase!) the masterworks of 80-plus printmakers, carvers, ceramic artists and more, and experience dozens of drum-dancers, throatsingers and actors from across the Canadian and circumpolar Norths.

Discover more about the Great Northern Arts Festival.

The Billy Joss Open Celebrity Golf Tournament in Ulukhaktok, NWT, Canada

the BILLY JOSS OPEN CELEBRITY GOLF TOURNAMENT

Sprawling across the stony tundra of Victoria Island in Canada’s High Arctic, the world’s northernmost golf course is delightfully ‘in the rough.’ The finest time to hit the links is during the Billy Joss Open, typically held in the third week of July, when the pros of friendly Ulukhaktok welcome adventuresome duffers to tee off in a tourney for Northern literacy.

Discover more about the Billy Joss Open Celebrity Golf Tournament.

Folk on the Rocks in Yellowknife, NWT, Canada

FOLK ON THE ROCKS

The North’s biggest music festival takes the stage in mid-July at Long Lake near Yellowknife for a groovy, glorious weekend of local, national and global music, plus specialty food, arts and crafts. Wintersleep, Lido Pimienta, Snotty Nose Rez Kids and Leela Gilday headlined last year’s festival.

Discover more about Folk on the Rocks.

The Land of the Pingos Music Festival in Tuktoyaktuk, NWT, Canada

The Land of the Pingos Music Festival

If your rhythm is mellower than Folk on the Rocks, head to the top of the world for this down-home musical shindig. The festival boasts Inuvialuit performers, a traditional jigging contest, and a cookout that’s likely to feature Arctic delicacies. It all happens just metres from the Arctic Ocean, in view of the famous ‘pingo’ mounds that loom over little Tuktoyaktuk, typically at the end of July or early August.

Discover more about the Land of the Pingos Music Festival.

Slave River Paddlefest in Fort Smith, NWT, Canada

Slave River Paddlefest

Up north, canoeing and kayaking are a splash, and never more so than at Paddlefest, Fort Smith’s annual celebration of frothy fun on Canada’s finest whitewater river. During the August long weekend, there are races, contests, lessons and shore-side entertainment for everyone from landlubbing novices to playboating pros.

Discover more about the Slave River Paddlefest.

The Oldtown Ramble & Ride in Yellowknife, NWT, Canada

Oldtown Ramble & Ride

Weird and wonderful, this early August event celebrates the North’s most charming neighborhood, offbeat Old Town, Yellowknife. With booths and stages sprinkled among the lakeview shacks and mansions, it’s an eco-friendly festival that brings together local merchants, artists and musicians for tunes, craft sales, demonstrations, rides and more.

Discover more about the Old Town Ramble & Ride.

The Thebacha & Wood Buffalo Dark Sky Festival outside Fort Smith, NWT, Canada

Thebacha & Wood Buffalo Dark Sky Festival

When night comes back to the North, stargazers and Aurora-watchers flock to Wood Buffalo National Park, the world’s largest ‘dark sky preserve.’ There, on the last weekend of August, the local astronomical society will set up telescopes, present ‘stellar seminars’ and other workshops, and host the Circus of Science for kids.

Discover more about the Thebacha and Wood Buffalo Dark Sky Festival.

The Trout Rock Fly-Fishing Derby in the North Arm of Great Slave Lake, NWT, Canada

The Trout Rock Fly-Fishing Derby

Hosted by legendary Trout Rock Lodge on the North Arm of Great Slave Lake not far from Yellowknife, the annual Trout Rock Fly-Fishing Derby features fly-fishing lessons, shore lunches, idyllic northern scenery, and more feisty Pike than you can swing a rod at. The fish bite all summer, but the derby happens in early July.

Discover more about the Trout Rock Fly-Fishing Derby.

member icon Member
Nahanni River Adventures

Spectacular river journeys on Canada’s most iconic rivers. Travel with expert guides by raft or canoe and immerse yourself in......

member icon Member
Blachford Lodge

What began as a “part time fishing lodge” has now become a “full time Aurora Wilderness Lodge” open year round......

member icon Member
Canoe North Adventures

For over 30 years, Canoe North Adventures has made it our mission to create spectacular memories for life, and to show......

member icon Member
Hearne Lake Lodge

Hearne Lake Lodge is a remote fly-in fishing lodge only 20-minute floatplane ride east of Yellowknife. To serve you better,......

member icon Member
Arctic Chalet Tours

Best Northern Road Trip! Now you can drive all the way to the Arctic ocean linking Canada from coast to......

member icon Member
Simpson Air

Simpson Air (and its predecessor) is the oldest continuously-operated flying service in the Mackenzie Valley, established in the early 1960s.......

member icon Member
Canoe North

Canoe North, located in Hay River, Northwest Territories offers kayak and canoe rentals and sales. We can set you up for a......

member icon Member
Yellowknife Outdoor Adventures

For a Great Northern Experience! Yellowknife Outdoor Adventures offers a variety of day trips ranging from 2 to 10 hours......

member icon Member
Watta Lake Lodge

Comfortable lodge a 20 minute by floatplane ride from Yellowknife. Guided fishing for Lake Trout (to 34 lb), Arctic Grayling (to......

member icon Member
Nahanni Mountain Lodge

Remote private wilderness paradise on Little Doctor Lake, 100 km west of Fort Simpson. Accommodates 20 in cabins. Fishing, swimming,......

member icon Member
Jackpine Paddle

Unplug from the commonplace with our Northwest Territories canoe and kayak expeditions. We specialize in true wilderness adventures to the......

member icon Member
Diamonds de Canada

Canada has a deep love for our natural resources with diamonds being the highest expression of love.  Thanks to Canada’s world class standard for sustainable mining, we are custodians of our precious lands and take great pride and care releasing these rare gems.  From the moment our land is surveyed to the final reclamation (the […]...

member icon Member
Kasba Lake Lodge

World Class Fishing Within Reach Yet Beyond Belief For 3 generations we have been honing the Kasba experience to be like no-other. Our level of hospitality, dedication to the fishery, and a legendary passion for the experience that permeates through our entire team is undeniably contagious. No matter what you’re looking for in your fishing […]...

member icon Member
My Backyard Tours

We offer winter clothing rentals. Our winter clothing will keep you warm and comfortable for your outdoor fun – ask us......

member icon Member
Arctic Tours Canada

Arctic Tours Canada is a Yellowknife based tour operating company that offer Aurora Hunting and Viewing tours, Yellowknife sightseeing tours,......

member icon Member
Black Feather - The Wilderness Adventure Company

For over 50 years, Black Feather has had the opportunity to operate canoe, hiking and sea kayaking expeditions throughout the......

member icon Member
NARWAL Northern Adventures

Northern and Remote Wilderness Adventures Ltd. (NARWAL) is a small, friendly, majority Aboriginal owned and operated family business. Our reputation......

member icon Member
Old Town Glassworks

Etching popular northern designs on unique 100% recycled glass, since 1994. Visit our gift shop in Old Town or come......

member icon Member
NWT Diamond Centre

Come shop and experience the true beauty of Canadian diamonds. We feature and sell a variety of loose diamonds, mined, cut, and polished all here in the Northwest Territories. ...

member icon Member
Scott Lake Lodge

One of the finest Pike and Lake Trout waters in North America, on the 60th Parallel. Enjoy luxurious private cabins......

member icon Member
Yellow Dog Lodge, Inc.

Yellow Dog Lodge is a comfortable lodge with 3 private cabins for our guests. The lodge is a short (15 minute) floatplane ride from Yellowknife. Located on Duncan and Graham Lakes, the lodge is your hub for adventure. Choose from an additional 5 lakes for guided day trip excursions. Each lake is unique and offers unspoiled first class fishing. We are the only lodge that operates guided trips on each of these remote lakes located in the NWT taiga wilderness. Packaged trips feature superb sport fishing and safe outdoor adventure. The lakes and streams offer the finest Lake Trout, Northern Pike, Walleye and Arctic Grayling in the region. As an added bonus, our guests will enjoy the midnight sun and may even catch the northern lights later in the fall or early spring....

member icon Member
Peterson's Point Lake Lodge

Peterson’s Point Lake Lodge provides you access to known waters teeming with monster lake trout. Their current record is a......

Welcoming and friendly with a rustic charm and all modern conveniences, Grey Goose Lodge immediately catches your eye as you......

To truly experience the Northwest Territories, take your camping gear for a highway driving adventure! Long ribbons of road without......

Spectacular NWT        </div>
                
    </div>
</div> <!-- end .endo -->

</div>

<script>
    jQuery(document).ready(function(){
        getReadingTime();
        if($('.story-fullwidth section:first').hasClass('mediastack--hero') || $('.story-fullwidth section:first').hasClass('mediastack--video')) {
            $('#social01').css('display', 'none');
            $('#social02').css('display', 'block');
        }else{
            $('#social01').css('display', 'block');
            $('#social02').css('display', 'none');
        }
    });
</script>
					</main><!-- /#main -->
				
<section id=