Your guide to arts and culture in Yukon

Here's a look at what's happening in Yukon:

Whitehorse Nuit Blanche

What: Celebrate solstice weekend at an all-night art fest. Whitehorse Nuit Blanche 2016 is a free, 12-hour, contemporary art festival.

It features 10 local, national and international visual, dance and theatre artists. There are live performances — some that you can participate in — as well as site-specific work.

There's square dancing on the Wharf with the South Access Stringband, Montreal artist Andrew Forster will create a large piece outside on Main Street, and contemporary dance poet and performance artist Kim Tuson sings and dances in relationship to the natural world outside the visitor reception centre.

There will also be a giant mobile music box, an outdoor fashion show of felted fashion, and many other events over the 12 hours.

The city becomes a gallery with each artist presented at a different site. Find a map and full schedule here.

When: Saturday to Sunday, 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. 
Where: Various locations in downtown Whitehorse

Magnetic North Theatre Festival

What: Hear ye, hear ye! The Magnetic North Theatre Festival wraps up in Whitehorse.

Town Criers, from Vancouver's Theatre Replacement, will spread the word on the Wharf and at Rotary Park. Writers in Whitehorse, Old Crow, Nova Scotia and the Philippines will type observations of the world around them and send them via tablet, instead of scroll, to three town criers.

There's the locally created show by Arlin McFarlane called My Brain is Plastic. It's a multi-media presentation that answers the question, how do we un-wire deeply addictive habits?

A show out of Toronto called Prophecy Fog is all about place and identity. It's showing in the studio at the Yukon Arts Centre.

You have one more night to see Conchord Floral, a show from Toronto about teens fleeing a plague. That's on Saturday at the Wood Street School.

A Festival Wrap Party will be held Saturday night at The Roundhouse, in conjunction with the Whitehorse Nuit Blanche. Toronto artist Aleks Bartosik will lead you into a maze of fantastical creatures and creations. Ryan McNally will perform his brand of acoustic traditional blues, jazz and old time music. More details here.

When: Friday and Saturday 
Where: Various locations in Whitehorse

The art of a motorcycle trip

What: A new visual art show, Dust to Oaxaca, is showing in Dawson City. Local artist Justin Apperley's exhibit is a visual, sculptural and photographic journey of a motorcycle trip he took from Dawson City to Oaxaca, Mexico. He travelled more than 20,000 kilometres, from the top to the bottom of North America and back. He captures the twists and turns, the beauty and the breakdowns in his show that's part of the Confluence series.

When: Fridays and Saturdays until July 9, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. 
Where: SOVA Gallery, Dawson City

CBC's debaters back in Yukon

What: CBC's The Debaters celebrates summer solstice in the land of the midnight sun. Comedians Derek Seguin, Charlie Demers, Erica Sigurdson, Anthony Trombetta, Jenny Hamilton and many others will be in Whitehorse, along with host Steve Patterson for two shows on Monday.

Show one debates the topics: Daytime or nighttime – which is the right time? and Vinyl Records – are they the best way to get into a musical groove?

Show two asks: Tourists – are they good for The North? and Clothing – which is superior, comfort or style? 

When: 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Monday 
Where: Yukon Arts Centre, Whitehorse

National Aboriginal Day on Tuesday

What: National Aboriginal Day events will be held across the territory.

In Whitehorse, the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Society is hosting local musicians, dancers, and First Nations artisans. There'll be storytelling with elders, music by Jerry Alfred and Shundun, hip hop by Common Graffixs and Country Gospel Band, Leonard, Louis and Willie. There'll be dancing by the All Nation Dancers, Gwitchin Dancers and Dakhka Khwaan Dancers.

In Dawson City, National Aboriginal Day activities start with Seeds of Change, Commemoration and Reconciliation Ceremony presented by the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in First Nation. Local dignitaries and elders will share stories and thoughts on reconciliation with guest Jack Caesar. Musical guest Diyet will perform. A feast will follow the ceremony with more music by Gerald Edzerza and local guests.

When and Where: Tuesday, 11:30 a.m. Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre, Dawson City; 12 p.m to 7:45 p.m. Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, Whitehorse.

Other events:

• Graeme Peters plays the Village Bakery Friday night concert series in Haines Junction.
• There's a Solstice Music Coffee House Saturday at the Tombstone Territorial Park Interpretive Centre, just off the Dempster Highway, from 7:30 to 9 p.m.
• Yukon Women in Music's Cook Shack Session will be held Saturday, at the Moose Creek campground at Stewart Crossing. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m., followed by an open jam at 8:30 p.m.
• The 47th season of Frantic Follies is on stage every night in downtown Whitehorse. The turn-of-the-century vaudeville revue depicts the entertainment seen by the pioneers of the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898. That's nightly at 8 p.m. at the Westmark Whitehorse Hotel.
• There's Klondike-style cancan entertainment nightly in Dawson City at Diamond Tooth Gerties.
• At Arts in the Park, Lillian Loponen is the visual artist next week. Musically, it's Grant Simpson and Shauna Jones on Monday, Mike Stockstill and Amelia Rose Tuesday. Wednesday at noon, it's Nicole Edwards and the Puppet Affair. The evening show features Anger Management. Thursday, there's a songwriter panel and Friday features Oignons Rouges. That's in LePage Park 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. in Whitehorse.

Know of an arts or cultural event coming up in the Yukon? Call (867) 668-8460, email anewday@cbc.ca or message CBC Yukon's Facebook page.