Yellowknife
Around Yellowknife
Photo: Daniel Case · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Town and around · Northwest Territories · 20k people
Yellowknife
“YK”, “Diamond Capital of North America”, “Aurora Capital”
Where the aurora dances and the land is wild.
Aurora greenAurora purpleNorthern sky blue
Welcome to Yellowknife, where the northern lights dance over a big lake and the community is as warm as a bannock fresh from the oven. Whether you're here for the long summer days or the snowy winter nights, you'll find your place among friends.
Clubs for Yellowknife
No clubs for Yellowknife yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Yellowknife. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Yellowknife. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre Local history and culture exhibits.
- Old Town Historic district with colourful houses.
- Frame Lake Trail Popular walking loop around the lake.
- Great Slave Lake One of the largest lakes in the world.
- Yellowknife River Flows into Great Slave Lake.
- Cameron River Falls A short hike from the Ingraham Trail.
- Outdoors Aurora watching
- Outdoors Ice fishing on Great Slave Lake
- With kids Visit the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre
- With kids Swim at the Ruth Inch Memorial Pool
- Evenings Live music at local pubs
- Evenings Brewery tasting rooms
- Locals love Aurora viewing spots
- Locals love Ice fishing huts
Through the year
- Snowking Winter Festival March Snow castle and winter activities.
- Folk on the Rocks July Music festival with northern performers.
- Raven Mad Daze June Street festival in Old Town.
- Yellowknife Farmers Market Summer Local produce and crafts.
- Great Slave Lake Fishing Derby Summer Competitive fishing event.
Yellowknife has a subarctic climate with long, cold winters and short, mild summers. Best: Summer for long daylight hours, winter for aurora viewing.
Talk like a local
- “The Rock”
- Nickname for Yellowknife's Old Town area.
- “The Lake”
- Great Slave Lake, always referred to as 'the lake'.
- “Ice road”
- Winter roads on frozen lakes used for travel.
Getaways
- Wood Buffalo National Park UNESCO site with bison and boreal forest.
- Fort St. John Gateway to the Peace River region.
- Dawson Creek Mile 0 of the Alaska Highway.
Local flavour
Rooting for Edmonton Oilers (NHL), Calgary Flames (NHL), Edmonton Elks (CFL)
Eat and drink
- Bannock A traditional bread, often fried or baked
- Arctic char A cold-water fish, often smoked or grilled
- Caribou Game meat, often prepared as steaks or stew
- Bison Also known as buffalo, used in burgers and roasts
Where people go
- Aurora viewing lodges Cabins and lodges built for northern lights viewing
- Ice roads Seasonal winter roads over frozen lakes and rivers
- Dog sledding trails Routes used for dog sled tours and races
- Wilderness cabins Remote cabins accessible by plane or boat
Heritage and traditions
Yellowknife is proud of its northern spirit, the breathtaking aurora borealis, and the rich blend of Dene, Métis, and newcomer cultures. It's a city where the wild and the modern coexist, from diamond mines to ice roads.
This time of year in Yellowknife
- Fall colours and berry picking Fall September brings golden tundra colours and ripe berries, a favourite time for harvesting and hiking.
Say it like a local: “Eh” — A Canadian tag question, used for emphasis or agreement.
Festivals
- Yellowknife Pride Festival June A week-long celebration with a parade, drag shows, and community events, usually in June.
- National Indigenous Peoples Day June 21 Celebrated with drumming, dancing, storytelling, and traditional food at locations like Somba K'e Park.
Landmarks with a story
- Dettah A Tłı̨chǫ Dene community across Yellowknife Bay, accessible by ice road in winter or boat in summer, with a rich cultural history.
- Giant Mine A former gold mine that operated from 1948 to 2004, now a historic site with interpretive signs about the mining era.
- Wildcat Café A log cabin in Old Town, built in 1937, now a café and gathering place that preserves the early frontier atmosphere.
Food traditions
- Smoked whitefish A staple from Great Slave Lake, often caught and smoked by families, then eaten as a snack or in soups.
- Caribou stew A hearty Dene dish made with caribou meat, root vegetables, and sometimes bannock on the side.
- Wild berry jam Made from local berries like cloudberries, blueberries, and cranberries, often spread on bannock.
- Pemmican A traditional preserved food of dried meat and fat, once a staple for hunters and travellers.
- Dry meat Thin strips of caribou or moose dried over a fire, a protein-rich snack still made by many families.
Music and arts
- Dene drumming and hand games Traditional drum groups perform at gatherings and festivals, with songs passed down through generations.
- Caribou tufting A distinctive Dene art form using dyed caribou hair to create floral designs on velvet or leather.
- Folk and roots music A lively local scene, with open mics and concerts at venues like the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre.
- Northern Arts and Cultural Centre (NACC) A hub for performances, exhibitions, and workshops, showcasing local and touring artists.
A little history
- 1934 Gold discovery at Yellowknife Bay
- 1967 Yellowknife becomes capital of the Northwest Territories
- 1991 Diamond discovery at Ekati, launching NWT's diamond industry
- 1992 Giant Mine strike, a pivotal labour dispute in the north
- 2005 Signing of the Tłı̨chǫ Land Claim and Self-Government Agreement
- Game day Ice hockey
- Game day Curling
- Outdoors Snowmobiling
- Outdoors Cross-country skiing
- With kids Sledding
- With kids Building snow forts
English is the common language, with a distinctly Canadian accent and northern vocabulary. Many locals also speak French or Indigenous languages like Tłı̨chǫ and Dene. You'll hear 'eh' a lot, and words like 'toque' and 'skidoo' are everyday.
Only here
- Aurora borealis visible on over 200 nights a year, with prime viewing from fall to spring.
- The 'Diamond Capital of North America'—the NWT is a major diamond producer, and Yellowknife is the hub.
- The ice road to Dettah, a seasonal road built across Great Slave Lake, is a practical and scenic winter route.
- The midnight sun in summer, when daylight lasts nearly 24 hours, and the short winter days with only a few hours of light.
New here? A few tips
- Dress in layers—winter temperatures can drop to -40°C, so a good parka, insulated boots, and mitts are essential.
- Learn about the land and Indigenous cultures; respect for the environment and community is deeply valued.
- Try local foods like bannock, caribou, and smoked fish—you'll find them at markets and restaurants.
- If driving in winter, be cautious on ice roads and check conditions; they are vital routes but require care.
- Embrace the seasons: go aurora watching in winter, enjoy the midnight sun in summer, and join community events like Folk on the Rocks.
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Nearby
Every areaYellowknife. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.