Cultural events
& gala
Wood Buffalo 2023
Gala
TICKETED (Ticket release will be January 2024)
Friday, March 15, Glenn Massay Theater University of Alaska, Mat-Su Campus
The Cultural Gala is the very highlight of Games week, and the event that sets us apart from all other multi-sport events. The Arctic Winter Games is the only youth multi-sport event to include a cultural component.
Wood Buffalo 2023
Staged as an evening of fine art and cultural sharing, with a special guest champagne mingler preceding the event, The Glen Massey will be transformed into a world stage of diverse cultural talents.
Participants have been known to showcase “yoiking” a traditional song form of the Sami peoples, Inuit throat singing, regional styles of traditional drumming and dancing, as well as modern expressions of regional heritage. Local artists, directors, choreographers, and cultural teachers will share the week with the youth, teaching and guiding them, and creating an unforgettable evening for the audience. Many dignitaries and special guests note this as their most treasured memory of their games experience.
Wood Buffalo 2023
Gala
Ticketed / Friday, March 15, 2024, Glenn Massey Theater
University of Alaska, Mat-Su Campus
The Arctic Winter Games Cultural Gala is a showcase of diverse youth talent from across the circumpolar north. Each of the 7 participating contingents will rehearse and perform their own piece, representing their region through their choice of discipline (dance, vocals, drumming, acrobatics, theater, etc.). This will be followed by a collaboratively-created performance piece that features all of the participating youth.
Pamyua Concert
and Indigenous Fashion Show
Thursday, March 14, 2024, Glenn Massey Theater
University of Alaska, Mat-Su Campus
AWG 2024 will proudly welcome Pamyua to the stage of the Glenn Massey Theater. Pamyua is Alaska’s premier Inuit musical group, showcasing Inuit culture through music and dance performance. Each of their shows includes a unique lineup of Indigenous Alaskan and Danish performers, with founding members of the band leading the way. They use their platform to celebrate and share Indigenous knowledge and history, using traditional melodies reinterpreted with contemporary vocalization and instrumentation.
As an opening act for this concert AWG 2024 will be presenting an Indigenous Fashion Show. Featuring Indigenous designers of traditional and contemporary fashion, winter wear, jewelry and other accessories, this show will thrill locals and visitors alike.
Winter Carnival and Makers’ Market
Thursday, March 14, Friday, March 15, 2024, Alaska State Fairgrounds
Get outside and enjoy the spring snow with your fellow northerners from around the globe! On Thursday, March 14th, and Friday March 15th the AK state Fairgrounds will come alive with food trucks, carnival rides, sports demonstrations, dog sled rides, caribou petting zoo, and best of all an Indigenous/Northern Makers’ Market, featuring the very best of AK’s crafters, artists and makers. This event is free and open to the public, and will close with community fireworks on Friday evening!
Pop-up Community Performances
Schedule TBD
Throughout the week of the games, our visiting contingents will be getting out in to the community to share their performance pieces with the Mat-Su residents in a series of free pop-up performances. The schedule is yet to be determined, but keep your eyes out for details coming soon, or contact us to request a performance for your senior center, public library space, coffee shop, clinic lobby, elders lunch, etc.
Education Program
Fall 2023
In Fall of 2023, schools across the state of AK (and beyond) will have access to a set of learning opportunities and resource guides meant to enrich their understanding of Arctic sports, sportsmanship, Indigenous cultures/traditions of the circumpolar north, language and geography of the Arctic, and more. Interactive projects will bring youth together across vast distances of ice and snow as they share stories and photos of their homes with one another, as well as engage in celebratory competitions such a read-a-thons, coloring contests and song-writing competitions.