Arctic Winter Games kick off in Whitehorse with opening parade

north frigid zone overwinter Games gap observance

The Arctic Winter Games explained

Yukon Arctic Winter Games athletes draw inspiration from family and Olympians

Dene Games carvers are getting ready for action in upcoming Arctic Winter Games

Team Nunavut's table tennis athletes gear up for the Arctic Winter Games

Here's what you need to know about the opening ceremony.

You can follow our live coverage here with updates from reporters on the ground, and watch a live stream of the ceremony above.

The athlete parade is set to begin at 7:15 p.m. YT. 

The parade will start at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre in Whitehorse, and travel along Front Street, down to Second Avenue, ending at Shipyards Park. 

People are being asked to plan their route accordingly and carpool or take transit. 

Front Street will be closed to traffic between Wood Street and Black Street from 5:30 p.m. To 7:30 p.m.

Second Avenue will be closed between Alexander Street and Third Avenue from 6:30 p.m. To 8 p.m.

I’m behind the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, where the athletes and team staff have begun to arrive. 

People are disembarking from yellow school buses and assembling behind the building, getting ready to head over to Shipyards Park.

All the athletes and other team representatives are being greeted by excited volunteers who are guiding them to their assigned meeting spot.

Team Yukon’s contingent was among the last to arrive. 

I spoke with members of Team Yukon’s cultural team called Cold Soul, a break dancing group from a Whitehorse neighbourhood called Riverdale. 

They said they were all excited to be performing at the games and meeting athletes from across the circumpolar world.

The opening ceremony is live! 

Sportscaster Darren Dupont and Yukon-born Olympian Jeane Lasssen are hosting the special from downtown Whitehorse. They’re surrounded by the Yukon girls hockey team. 

Time to tune in!

Lawrence Nayally here, host of Trail’s End in Yellowknife. 

I’ll be spending the week in Whitehorse to host a special segment during the afternoon radio show.

I was just inside the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, where I spoke with Nivi Olsen, the minister of education, culture, sports, youth and church in Greenland. 

She said she’s happy to be here for the opening of the Arctic Winter Games. 

I asked her about what she looked forward to, but also her concerns around U.S. President Donald Trump’s ongoing threats toward Greenland. You can hear that interview tomorrow afternoon on the radio. 

Earlier in the day, I watched the U18 Male Hockey game between Yukon and Alaska. It's one of the marquee events of the Arctic Winter Games. And boy, was it a doozy.

It was largely a pro-Yukon crowd, with everyone really excited about the game. There's always a rivalry between the Yukon and Alaska since they're neighbours on either side of the border. The physicality picked up in the third period, with both teams taking SEVEN penalties each.

Team Alaska won 4-3, but Yukon almost tied things up in the dying seconds with the man advantage.

We'll have the coaches of both teams on Yukon Morning and Northbeat tomorrow.

Team Nunavut is sending about 290 athletes to represent communities across the territory with pride. 

Youth ambassadors and representatives are also set to join the team to support their athletes.

Team Nunavik is representing northern Quebec Inuit communities with 58 athletes and six cultural delegates. 

This year marks Nunavik's first participation as a permanent member of the Arctic Winter Games International Committee.

Team Alberta North and Team Alaska will also be at the games.

As host territory, nearly 300 Yukon athletes proudly represent their communities. The majority of athletes on the team are from Whitehorse, but Dawson City, Carmacks, Watson Lake and Burwash Landing are also represented.

Northwest Territories is a founding member of the Arctic Winter Games. About 356 athletes have travelled from all across the N.W.T. To take part in this year's games. A group of cultural delegates are joining the athletes to showcase their talents.

Greenland has participated in the Arctic Winter Games since 1990. This year, Team Kalaallit Nunaat has 59 participants focusing on sports such as snowboarding, Dene games, badminton, and table tennis. 

Team Sápmi is bringing 53 people to Whitehorse, including 36 athletes and three cultural participants. The team is made up of athletes from across the Sápmi traditional lands in northern Norway, Sweden and Finland.

Team Alaska is a founding participant of the Arctic Winter Games.

I’m waiting for the athletes to arrive. It’s sunny in downtown Whitehorse right now. 

Cheers are erupting here as Team Alaska athletes get off the bus to line up for the parade. 

They’re the first athletes to arrive, and an Arctic Winter Games volunteer says there are eight Team Alaska buses. 

Oldest competitor at Arctic Winter Games Chris Stipdonk nearly breaks record to win knuckle hop

The oldest competitor at the Arctic Winter Games, 37-year-old Chris Stipdonk of Fort Simpson, N.W.T., travelled 188 feet, three feet shy of the Arctic Winter Games record and eight feet shy of his own record, to win in his final time competing in the knuckle hop.

Arctic Sports are some of the pillars of these games and what makes them unique to the North. These events include traditional Inuit games, including Alaskan high kick, knuckle hop, arm pull, head pull and more. 

There are 10 events in the Arctic Sports competition for 2026. 

Arctic Sports and Dene Games are also the only sports that include adult categories.

The Arctic Winter Games feature 20 sports — a mix of indoor, outdoor and traditional sports along with Dene Games. 

Instead of medals, top finishers in each sport will receive gold, silver and bronze ulus, which is a traditional Inuit knife.

Some of the sports taking place in Whitehorse this year include biathlon, badminton, archery, wrestling, curling, hockey and more.

I'm at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre waiting for the athletes to arrive for the parade. 

There’s a noticeable security presence.

We know that Pete Hoekstra, the U.S. Ambassador to Canada, is in Whitehorse for the games.

His name is also on the guest list for the opening ceremony.

According to a statement previously issued by the U.S. Consulate in Vancouver, Hoekstra is here to cheer on Team Alaska, and to “meet with government officials and business leaders during his first visit to the Yukon.”

---

---