SPRING BREAK DEAL - FREE RENTAL FOR YOUTH AND STUDENT
March 22, 2026
Welcome to the 3rd edition of the Whitehorse Nordic Festival!
Whitehorse Nordic Festival
The Whitehorse Nordic Festival invites you to experience the joy of winter sports all in one place for a full day of fun. This free, family-friendly event brings together a variety of activities for all ages and skill levels. Visitors can try fatbiking, kicksledding, biathlon, snowshoeing, orienteering, cross-country skiing, skating, Dene games, and more.
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Whether you’re a seasoned winter enthusiast or trying something new for the first time, the festival offers a welcoming space to explore, learn, and celebrate the northern winter.
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Stay until the end of the day to watch the soapbox racer teams test their creations and cheer them on as they speed down the hill! Come out, get active, and discover new ways to enjoy the season with friends, family, and the community.
Beer Garden & Fair​
Hot Dogs - pay by donation
Daddy’s Donuts - pay by donation
Winterlong Beer and Non-Alcoholic Beverages – available for purchase
Kids zone - Fun activities for children
Meet Local Organizations - Discover community groups like Recreation and Parks Association of the Yukon, Elder Active,... and try out new activities.
What’s On
All activities are free! A few have limited spots, so be sure to sign up. See the schedule below for details.
Program
Arctic Sports and Dene Games
Time: 11:00 am to 4:00pm
Arctic Sports and Dene games are traditional Indigenous competitions from the North that celebrate survival skills, strength and community.
Join Emily as she demonstrates some of these unique and challenging skills and then test your own abilities!
12-12:30 Inuit stick pull and two foot high kick
12:30-1 Foot pull and one foot high kick
1-1:30 Snow snake and greasy stick pull
1:30-2 Inuit stick pull and two foot high kick
2-2:30 Foot pull and one foot high kick
2:30-3 Snow snake and greasy stick pull
Cross-country skiing
Time: 11:00 am to 4:00pm
Enjoy a free trail pass and rental to try cross-country skiing.
Limited to 2 hours. No reservation. Walk-in.
Fatbiking
Time: 11:00 am to 4:00pm
Kicksledding
Time: 11:00 am to 4:00pm
Orienteering
Time: 11:00 am to 4:00pm
Biathlon
Time: 11:00 am to 4:00pm
Ice Skating and Skate Rental at the CGC Rink
Time: 11:00 am to 1:30pm
A whole fleet of Fatbikes from Icycle Sports to try out!
Find us in the ski stadium.
Why walk when you can kicksled? The Yukon is alive with places for you to kicksled all winter long! The folks from RPAY - Recreation and Parks Association of the Yukon - will be present to let you try out this fun recreation and active transportation tool of pure joy that many Yukonners have adopted.
Strap on some snowshoes and set out on one of two self-serve courses. A beginner and an intermediate course are available. Starts and ends in the Ski Stadium.​
Biathlon coaches and Athletes from Biathlon Yukon.
Biathlon is an Olympic winter sport, which combines competitive, free-technique cross-country skiing and small-bore rifle marksmanship. Learn to shoot at a very small target with a LASER RIFLE! You'll have to ski/walk/run four small loops with three prone shooting sessions.
Walk up and sign in for an introductory session of this great winter sport!
​Enjoy a free skate and free skate rentals at the CGC rink.
Guided Snowshoe Orienteering
Time: Noon or 2pm
Duration: 1 hour
Meet in the Ski Stadium at the Orienteering Table
Discover how Orienteering works with the Yukon Orienteering Association.
Learn the basics of map reading.
Register here - Drop in welcome if not full
Relay: xcski, fatbike, shooting, kicksled
Time: 2:00 pm
Duration: 1 hour
Presented by ICycle Sports & Cycling Association of Yukon
Open to everyone, you don't have to be an expert to have fun. Make a team with your friends, children, siblings, or random strangers and participate in this fun relay!
Bring your own gear or borrow for free at the Festival.
Register now or on-site at the Festival.
Soapbox Race
Time: 3pm
Duration: 1 hour
Watch the teams speed down the hill and cheer them on!
Want to join the fun? Register your team and build your own soapbox to race!
Spring Awakening with Yukon Wildlife Viewing
Time: 3:00pm
Duration: 1 hour
With the arrival of spring, animals are starting to become more active again. Join Yukon Wildlife Viewing on a walk in the woods to see what longer days and warmer weather mean in the boreal forest.
Wear tall boots so we can look at animal signs in the snow. Be prepared to walk up to 3km on soft snow and single-track trails.
Meet at the Wildlife Viewing table in the Stadium
Where is the Festival?
The festival is held at the Nordic Centre Ski Stadium.
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If you wish to rent cross-country skis, visit the Whitehorse Nordic Centre ski chalet (200-1 Sumanik Drive).
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Park at the Canada Games Centre parking lot to access the festival area.
A second parking space is available at the McIntyre Recreation Centre. You will need to go down the stairs to reach the ski stadium.
