Founded in the mid 1980s, Angela Sidney, one of the last speakers of the Tagish language, had to travel all the way to Toronto in order to tell her stories to a large audience. This prompted two Yukoners to organize the first Storytelling festival in the Yukon in 1988. For the first Festival, storytellers came from six countries on four continents and joined Yukon native elders to tell and sing stories in 23 different languages, 16 Native languages, Dutch, French, Danish, English, Norwegian, Icelandic, and Ukranian. All storytellers were encouraged to tell in their first language, with a summary or full translation in English.
Within two years, it had become an annual international festival, focusing on, but not restricted to, countries from the circumpolar world. Throughout the years, performers have come to join our Yukoners from Chuckotka, Magadan, Sakhalin, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, Zimbabwe, Greenland, Scotland, the Faroe Islands, Japan, China, Australia, Bolivia, Alaska, and the Southern United States as well as every province and territory in Canada. Each year sees more and more storytellers gathering in Whitehorse to celebrate the North's rich storytelling tradition under the midnight sun. Incorporating costume, dance, theatre, drums, mime, and music, the festival transports visitors across miles of land, years of history, and lifetimes of experiences.
1987
Anne Tayler and Louise Profeit-LeBlanc meet to discuss Angela Sidney’s trip to the Toronto Storytelling Festival: the idea for a Yukon storytelling festival is born. Louise & Anne consult Angela who directs them to go ahead and do it. In the fall, planning begins.
1988
The Yukon Arts Council, with Anne Tayler as Executive Director, sponsors and produces the first Northern Storytelling Festival. Anne & Louise produce and direct the event, with the assistance of Michele Emslie. With assistance from the Visiting Foreign Artists program, the festival is able to become circumpolar in nature. The festival is a much greater success than ever anticipated. In the fall, the organizers of the first festival form a non-profit society and decide to make the festival an annual event. Fundraising and organizing begins in earnest.
1989
The new society puts on the first festival on their own. Festival offers a "school day" on Friday. Schools pay $2.00 per child to attend. Very successful. Jerry Alfred performs solo.
1990
The festival acquires a large circus tent from Warner Shelter, with help from CDF and Lotteries. The festival now features two main stages, large tents, and several smaller stages (tents).
1991
The festival is reviewed by Lindsay Bourne, a nationally recognized events and management consultant; festival receives top marks. Bourne recommends a name change to reflect nature and location of event, which is adopted: Yukon International Storytelling Festival. Festival asks Canada Council for support.
Festival presents its first Circumpolar Banquet. The festival presents its first Haunted House. Festival acquires risers and staging, with the help of Lotteries and CDF. Angela Sidney performs for the last time. She passes on July 17, 1991.
1992
Several performers scheduled to arrive from Russia are detained and prevented from participating. Their airfare and honoraria are kept by the government. The festival loses $15,000 on this adventure. Susan Klassen performs at the National Capital City Commission event in Ottawa, for Canada Day. She also travelled to PEI to appear at the Milton Acorn festival. Jerry Alfred and two other performers visit Haida Gwaii for a "mini-festival." CC lobbying continues.
1993
Record attendance and box office. City begins to charge rent on the park and promises bathrooms in the near future. Board decides to stop doing school days (has grown to two days) as school closing dates vary now. Also, many teachers complain (about one teller or the venue, etc.); few praise the event. Michele Emslie and Jerry Alfred travel to Sakhalin as a return visit after several performers from the island perform at the festival.
1994
WindFest – record-breaking winds rip apart one tent and nearly take down another one. The festival must close or move: the board decides to move. With the help of fabulous volunteers, incredible community and corporate support, the festival is moved up to the College. Tellers were weaving tales at the new site within 45 minutes of the decision to move, thanks to the help and equipment of CBC. While the event was a great success, again, there was virtually no box office on Saturday (our biggest day), and the event lost many thousands of dollars.
The festival hosts the national organization, Storytellers Canada, for the second ever national conference. The conference is a huge success. The festival adds Elderhostel to its programming. Another great success.
1995
The festival scales down to try and recover from the accumulated losses related to the Russian adventure and the windfest. The deficit is reduced greatly, but not eliminated. No bathrooms in the park yet. Jay Mitchell, Manager Super A, takes over management of our festival concession – it makes money for the first time ever. Festival helps present Longest Night, in collaboration with Daniel Janke and Yukon Art Centre (festival loses money on project). Louise Profeit-LeBlanc is interviewed on What on Earth, with Bruce Steele. CC lobbying renewed (again).
1996
Hired a producer through Arts Apprentice Program. Festival is featured in Canadian Living. Jerry Alfred concert. The festival acquired an inflatable maze for children – it was a big success. Festival attendance grew – second highest attendance and box office revenue. CC indicates interest.
1997
10th Anniversary, with highest attendance and box office ever; concert a big success; reviews positive. Some national coverage. Canada Council staff attend festival; funding discussions held and support for oral literature affirmed (small grant awarded in fall).
1998
First Quest Elderhostel (many positive reviews, but a few negative ones; elderhostel reassessed). Festival attendance dropped — too many anniversary events (short term funding) competing with festival.
1999
First Winter Tour -- a great success. Elderhostel Program redesigned, and Education Coordinator position identified. Funding for a new tent is approved. Education program expanded with revamped School Program (very well received). Festival receives Canada Council festival support for the first time, after 8 years of lobbying.
2000
The festival took place on June 1 -4 this year, and it would appear that it was a big success, with higher attendance than in 1999 (although less than 1997). Planning has already begun for next year, and we hope our 14th year will be by far our best.
2001
Festival gets more rain and a heater but the lineup is hot
and attendance is still fine - hardy Yukoners. Festival loses staff stalwart Sue Gleason to Alberta but before she leaves she hosts several excellent Elderhostels and the Festival is presented with a National Attractions Award on the West Coast. Interim Manager Fred Johnstone shows us his many hands as tent rigger, manager, grant writer and fundraiser. All around a valiant effort.
2002
Louise Profeit-Leblanc and Anne Tayler leave for bigger and better things. The festival hires Executive Director Lil Grubach-Hambrook who whips 3 staff into Production shape and with the new partnership with the Arctic Athabaskan Council a wonderful troupe called Elvel is introduced to Canada. No rain, no wind, but little sun still our festival is successfully attended. The Festival is joined by new President Louise Hardy and the Storytelling office moves to a heritage home on Strickland St. The Curriculum Development programme hires Debbie Oostindie to implement a pilot programme in elementary schools, supported by the Canada Council and Dept of Education, YTG.
2003
Festival dates are moved to July 4-6 to reap the benefits of sun. Events to date have included a special evening of storytelling in January with Zacharias Kunuk, Anne-Louise Genest and Kevin Barr and a tremendously successful Circumpolar Banquet in March. A workshop series entitled SEED is slated for June and a Youth Component added to the Festival. A tepee and a yurt are confirmed for on-site structures as are a plethora of small themed tents.
2004
Smoke from numerous fires throughout the terrritory inundated our 17th annual festival which ran June 25th to the 27th. Highlight performances were Red Sky Performance Troupe from Ontario who performed Caribou Song ; mime Antonio Rocha from Maine; Helen Carmichael Porter, Lina Allemano and Rob Clutton performed Torch Tales; Dale Jarvis and Delf Hohmann doing their best for the man in black and Japanese teller Masako Sueyoshi.
2005
4800 patrons moved to the new Shipyards Park at the northern end of the Whitehorse waterfront on the Yukon River. Our new partnership with the Harvest Fair made for a hugely successful festival, albeit a chilly 1st Shipyards Celebration. 12 tents graced the Yukon River and there was a full family slate - epic sagas and tales of 'Beowulf', Russian folktales as told by Robert Bly, taiko drumming from Uzume Taiko and 'Capoiera' dance adaptation by Ache Brasil. Horseback riding, a petting zoo, fire breathers and stilt walkers, a literacy tent and organic homegrown Yukon produce and wild game entertained and fed families the whole weekend. The miserable weather, as usual, followed the festival around but it didn't daunt any Yukoners.
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