Yellowknife's ice carving competition gets big funding boost

Yellowknife's Long John Jamboree is getting some major funding.

De Beers Canada announced Monday that it will be investing $150,000 in the Jamboree's Inspired Ice Carving Competition over the next five years working out to $30,000 a year.

• Ice carving championship returns to Yellowknife's Long John Jamboree

The competition brings ice carvers from across North America to the city, where they compete to create the best ice sculpture.

"This money will allow us to bring over competitors from all over the world," said Garett Cochrane, the Jamboree's vice president.

The Long John Jamboree and the ice carving competition have run since 2012.

"[This money] will allow us to basically continue to reach our goal of transforming this competition into one of the world's premier ice carving competitions, and a local Yellowknife tradition," Cochrane said.

De Beers wants to create a legacy with the competition according to Allen Rodel, general manager for the company's Gahcho Kue mine, located about 280 kilometres northeast of Yellowknife.

"We believe that this competition and the Long John Jamboree is really close to the heart of the people of Yellowknife, and we want to be part of that process," he said.

DeBeers has invested on and off in the competition since 2012.

• Despite loss in funding, full slate of activities planned for Yellowknife's Long John Jamboree

The Long John Jamboree will beon the weekend of March 23, 2018.