ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
When is the festival?
The Dawson City Music Festival takes place the third weekend of July each year. The next Festival will take place from July 19th to 21st, 2024. We hope to see you there!
I bought my ticket, now what?
Simply download your electronic ticket to your smartphone, or print out the PDF version of your ticket and bring it with you. Visit our Info Booth on the festival grounds at Minto Park, and the wonderful volunteer crew will magically turn your e-ticket into Festival wristbands.
The Info Booth opens at 12pm on Friday the 19th at Minto Park, and is open throughout the festival weekend.
Does my ticket guarantee access to everything?
Our weekend pass guarantees admission to all of our programming, subject to legal capacity limits. Some of our venues have a limited capacity, so arrive early to ensure you get a good seat! Venues requiring a weekend pass include the Mainstage at Minto Park (from 7pm onwards), the Palace Grand Theatre, St. Paul’s Anglican Church, and the Klondike Institute for Arts and Culture.
Venues that do not require a weekend pass include the Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre, Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Hall, and The Pit. Our Mainstage campus is open to the public until 6pm on Saturday and Sunday.
All of our venues and events are within a few minutes’ walking distance from each other.
What if I bought a ticket but I want to sell it/it’s a gift for a friend?
You may transfer your ticket to another person by following the link provided in your confirmation of purchase email, sent by Tickit. You must change the name and email address associated to the person you are transferring your pass to. Change fees may apply. Please note that once you change the assigned email address, the new ticket holder will receive an email confirmation and you no longer have possession of the ticket.
How do I get to the festival site once I’m in Dawson City?
The festival takes place at multiple venues in Dawson City. All of our venues are in easy walking distance of one another and are conveniently very close to Dawson’s many hotels, B&Bs, campgrounds, RV Parks, restaurants, shops, tourist attractions, and other amenities. Our Mainstage, beer gardens, and vendors area are located at Minto Park on 5th Avenue.
How does volunteering work?
Volunteers are the priceless lifeblood of the DCMF! Please check out our Volunteer page for more information and to sign up. Thank you in advance!
In order to receive a weekend pass, volunteers must work a minimum of 15 hours. For 5 hours of work, volunteers receive a pass for Friday OR Sunday, and for 10 hours worked, passes for Friday AND Sunday are received.
While many of our volunteers need to be 19+, youth ages 12-18 are encouraged to volunteer as well!
Check out this page for more details.
What happens at the festival?
It’s a busy, fast-paced, whirlwind of a weekend! Pick up a festival program at the Info Booth in Minto Park while getting your wristbands and chart your course for the weekend! The schedule is also published here on our website! Click “Festival” in the menu bar at the top of this page.
The festival kicks off with a free concert at the Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre on Friday afternoon. Following that, the action heads to the Mainstage Tent which offers concerts in the evenings as well as workshops and concerts in the afternoons.
Daytime and evening programming are on offer at the Palace Grand Theatre, KIAC Ballroom, St. Paul’s Church, Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Hall, and The Pit (located at the Westminster Hotel).
We offer free programming for kids and families, KidsFest, on Sunday morning at our Mainstage campus.
Are there specific activities for kids?
For many families, DCMF’s KidsFest is the highlight of the weekend! It features live music, craft workshops, face-painting, and more! A weekend pass is not required for KidsFest as it’s free to the public.
There is also a playground located right beside the Minto Park festival grounds, and we’re proud to offer a Family Tent on the festival grounds as a resource, which offers a convenient spot for diaper changes, some basic supplies, and a place to meet other tiny festival-goers!
All of DCMF’s daytime programming is very family-friendly. Technically all the evening programming is as well, but the festival is busier and louder in the evenings.
Children 12 and under are admitted free of charge to all festival venues, provided they are accompanied and supervised by a weekend pass holder. The entire main festival grounds is licensed, and this allows parents to enjoy a beverage while listening to a concert… with kids in tow!
Can I buy food/drinks at the festival?
We plan to offer a variety of culinary delights on the festival grounds in Minto Park. More information will be available on our website soon.
Feel free to bring your own food and water bottle to fill up at our free water station, but please remember that no outside alcohol is permitted on site. Bags and backpacks will be checked upon entry to festival grounds.
You must be 19+ to purchase alcohol. 19+ wristbands will be issued at the Security Tent at Minto Park, available to anyone with valid government issued ID. Alcohol may not be served to or consumed by anyone without a wristband.
Can I bring my dog?
Sorry, but pets of any kind are not allowed on the festival grounds, with the exception of service animals. For reasons of health and safety, we also ask that you do not tie up your dog anywhere in Minto Park during festival weekend. Keep your furry friends safe at home, out of the heat, and well-watered!
Do I need cash? Are there any ATM’s on the festival site?
No, but the nearest ATM is just steps away! Located at the corner of 2nd & Queen, the CIBC bank offers a 24 hour ATM, and there are also several machines within the surrounding businesses. The DCMF merch booth and beer gardens accept credit and debit cards. Some vendors may accept credit and debit, but bringing cash is always a good idea.
Can I take photos and video?
Festival patrons are welcome to take photos, however if you are disrupting other patrons, you will be asked to stop.
It is important that you respect other audience members and the artists by using discretion while shooting photos or video.
Photos must be for personal use only. If an artist has requested that no photos be taken of them, security volunteers may alert you.
We have a media policy in place for professional media. Patrons who appear to be taking photos for commercial use may be asked to cease by festival staff if they are not previously approved and accredited media personnel.
ABOUT DAWSON CITY
How do I get to Dawson City?
By Air:
Air North offers service to Dawson City from Whitehorse, Inuvik, and Old Crow, plus direct flights to Whitehorse from Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, and Ottawa. Air Canada also offers direct flights to Whitehorse from Vancouver.
By Road:
Dawson City is located approximately 6.5 hours northwest of Whitehorse. There are three different routes to Dawson City: the Klondike Highway (from Whitehorse), the Dempster Highway (from Inuvik, NWT), and the Top of the World Highway (from Tok, Alaska).
Where can I stay?
Accommodations in Dawson City are often at capacity during the festival weekend. People wishing to rent rooms in hotels and B&Bs should do so well in advance. Our amazing festival sponsors are a great place to start: Downtown Hotel, Eldorado Hotel, The Bunkhouse, and Goldrush Campground and RV Park.
There are also a number of commercial and government campgrounds located both in and around Dawson City that offer space for tents, campers, and recreational vehicles.
DCMF provides overflow camping during the festival. Our camping is located in a baseball field a short walk from town, with very limited amenities. Alcohol, fires, dogs, and loud noise are all prohibited. We encourage patrons to explore other options first.
Where can I park?
We encourage festival-goers to leave their cars wherever they’re staying for the weekend and walk or bike between venues and around town. We recommend locking up bikes at all times when not in use.
There is no designated parking area at the main festival site in Minto Park, but there is parking available at various places across town.
What else can I do while i’m in town?
Go on a tour with Parks Canada or Klondike Experience !
Get your gold rush era portrait taken or see some art by local artists at Peabody’s !
See local artist Jackie Olson’s exhibit “The Land speaks to me” at the ODD Gallery !
Visit the Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre where they have an exhibit about reviving long ago sacred items, a gallery about the history of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in people that features two long ago style houses, artifacts and regalia, a gift shop, a tea table, and a welcome film that shows twice daily at 11 and 2 p.m. !
Check out the Dawson City Museum !
Take a hike on one of the many beautiful routes within the Dawson City Midnight Dome Trail Network !