Bend Sinister Leads the Final Performance at the Dawson City Music Festival in the Yukon, Canada.
From mud pits to sourtoe cocktails, I was initiated into the Dawson City Music Festival. I joined hundreds of travellers as we stampeded into Dawson City, Yukon (not unlike the gold rush days) to take in Canadian music and have a drink with the locals.
The beer flowed freely and evening line-ups greeted us at the bars. The weather was over 20 degrees Celsius on the first day and the midnight sun kept shining until the last band finished their set on Sunday night (with a rain break in between).
My surprise favourite was Gadgji Gadjo. This band rocked it on Saturday night (and to a smaller crowd on Sunday evening) with their Quebecois folk and klezmer music underlying frantic circus tunes. I flung my purse and jacket over the fence at the front of the stage and danced with the packed crowd with a furious spirit, hitting the two beach balls that the kids made sure kept up in the air.
Lori Henry with the real toe of the Sourtoe Cocktail in Dawson City, Yukon (Canada), before drinking the cocktail.
On a non-musical note, a weekend in Dawson City cannot be complete without partaking in the infamous sourtoe cocktail. I had heard about this drink that includes a real human toe as the mix. I wouldn’t believe such absurdity until the days got closer and not one local I asked would say otherwise. Uh oh.
So, on my last night in town, I sat myself down with Captain Joel at the Downtown Hotel, shot of vodka in hand, crowd gathered around, to meet my destiny with the toe. I didn’t think it was a good omen when Joel dropped it on the floor and had to go clean it off…
Alas, the rules were spoken, all of which must be abided by, or I wouldn’t get my certificate and lifetime membership card to Capt. Dick’s World Famous Sourtoe Cocktail Club (and how can you not want to be a part of that?):
- Lips have to touch the toe
- No licking, biting or swallowing the toe, or else pay the $500 fine
Did I mention that I used to have a major issue with feet? Although I’m a bit calmer now, they used to completely gross me out. Well, here goes…
And I did it! My lips will never be the same again but at least I proved to myself that I could overcome my fears with determination and a little vodka. I was the 33,230th person to take the plunge.
Mud Pit at the Dawson City Music Festival in the Yukon Territory, Canada, before it got dirty.
What I Liked:
- The folks who travelled all the way to Dawson City, Canada would not be deterred by a little bit of rain. On Saturday night, part of the beer garden turned into a mud pit. Ever-creative, people gathered around an empty red tank and thumped out tunes, while dancers kept up the beat with their bodies.
- Gadgji Gadjo from Montréal knocked my socks off. This indie band’s records are only available in Quebec or live performances- they should be way more well-known than they are. See video below for a taste of their energy.
- The sourtoe cocktail was a must-do for me and I’m proud to say I did it with a smile on my face (and much grimacing).
Lori Henry is a freelance Travel & Lifestyle writer based in Vancouver, Canada. She covers Solo Travel, Outdoor Adventures, Wellness & Spas, and Cultural Dance, and is often called "That Cultural Dance Gal."
