The tent is up, and the Alianait Arts Festival starts tonight

The trademark purple and yellow tent is up and the Iqaluit airport is bustling with the arrival of artists from all over the world for the annual Alianait Arts festival starting Wednesday evening.

This year's festival, which runs from June 29 to July 3, includes a smorgasbord of artists from across the world, including a heavy contingent of Inuit acts from the circumpolar nations.

Some of the not-to-be missed events include the Siqinniqtuq concert opening the festival, featuring Vancouver-based duo the Harpoonist & the Axe Murderer, Greenland's Simon Lynge, Yellowknife's Quantum Tangle, and Pangnirtung's Mary & Joey.

For theatre lovers, the National Theatre of Greenland's production of Minik on July 2 is a sure bet. Basedon thereal-life story of a young Thuleboy who came to New York with his family in 1987, it featuresMike Thomsen, Majbritt Bech, Klaus Geisler and Hans Henrik Poulsen.

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The Nijjausiaqtuq Mumiqtullu concert on June 30 will be one of the most eclectic nights at the festival with performances by the the Mongolian-Persian band Sedaafrom Germany, P.E.I.'s Eastern Belles and Edmonton alt-rock band Rend. The evening will also include three generations of Inuit music by Simeonie Keenainak, Ben Qaqqasiq and the Daniel Kolola Band.

The closing concert, Quviagijaujuq, on July 3 includes a powerhouse group of performances including a circumpolar collaboration. The concert will showcase celtic trio Barrule from the Isle of Man, Nunavik and Kahnawake duo Twin Flames, Victoria's JP Maurice and Iqaluit's The Tradeoffs.

As always,the festival includes many family-friendly and kids'events including a sing-along with award-winning entertainer and star of Will's Jams on Kids' CBC television on July 1.

The entire festival listing, as well as artists' biographies, are available on the festival app. Tickets can be purchased at the events or online.

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