Inuvik's Sunrise Festival fireworks arrive in the nick of time

Every January, Inuvik residents look forward to the return of the sun and with it, the Sunrise festival's annual fireworks show.

However, this yearweather meant that the annual celebration almost didn't happen. Conditions meant that ice crossings were delayed much more than usual, putting the arrival of the all-important fireworks to the community before Saturday's planned show in jeopardy.

"It was very iffy if we were going to get fireworks at all," said Rick Lindsay, the Beaufort Delta Region's assistant fire marshal.

In previous years, fireworksarriveat least two weeks prior to the festival which celebrates the sun returning to the community after over a month and the crew spends about a week getting everything ready.

However, as of early this week, there were still no fireworks.

• Dancing, igloos, ice slide part of Inuvik festival to mark return of the sun

Savior with a trailer

However, by chance, a town employee happened to be in Whitehorse for the New Year, Lindsay said. The employee was able to buy a trailer, whichwas already approved in the town's budget, while in the Yukon capital, and use it to drive $17,000worth of fireworks to Inuvik.

The fireworks arrived Wednesday, giving Lindsay and his crew of four other volunteersabout three days to get the show ready.

Lindsay said they have plans to make sure that a close-call like this doesn't happen again.

"Next year what we're going to do is put a proposal to the town to actually get the fireworks ordered and shipped in while the ferries are still in the water," said Lindsay.

"That way we can put them in asea can and lock them up and they're here. We know we are going to have a fireworks show. This year we didn't know.

"To miss having the fireworks would be horrible."

32nd year of festival

The Sunrise Festival is celebrating its 32nd year. For 2019,the town is adding a couple of events for residents and tourists.

Jacki Challis, the town's director of tourism and economic development, said there will be a snow carving workshop on Saturday, but her "keystone"will be having three different drummers and dancers groups performing outside right before the fireworks, which begin at 7 p.m.

The performers are coming from Inuvik, Tuktoyaktuk and Aklavik.

"We are really excited to have that, and I think it will be a unique element this year," said Challis.

Lindsay said the fireworks show isan event that unites the community.

"It's one of the only events that Inuvik has held that 99 per centof the community turns out to see this and it's pretty amazing."