The group behind reviving the New Year’s Eve old time dance and feast must have been happy with the turnout for the event, which packed the Midnight Sun Complex community hall.
“We were a little nervous about volunteers, but everything in the last minute came together,” said Jodi Day-MacLeod, part of the Inuvik Community Events Society.
Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo
“All we had to do was ask and they were there.”
The group was formed primarily to fundraise for and organize the dance, which had disappeared for several years, but members also want to bring back other popular family events in Inuvik.
Day-MacLeod didn’t have final numbers the night of the dance, but said the group had raised roughly $15,000 to put on the event, which included a feast, jigging contests, games and dancing until the new year.
“We were kind of unsure (of the turnout) because it’s New Year’s Eve and you never know where everybody’s going,” said Day-MacLeod about the packed room. “We’re thrilled.”
Gerry Kisoun, one of the night’s hosts, could still see plenty of room left on the floor for people to join.
“If there’s not a chair available, there’s lots of room on the floor to sit down,” he said. “At one time, it’s all we ever done, is we sat on the floor with our parents. Not like today, everybody’s got a chair.”
An awesome crew of volunteers worked hard over the past several months to put the event together, he said. He was glad to see the return of the annual event.
“I think there’s always a demand for things to do for people, especially right now we’re going through the longer nights and people want to get out and have something to do in our communities,” said Kisoun.
“Inuvik tonight is hosting this New Year’s Eve dance and they had a feast earlier on. I think everybody’s going to go home feeling very happy about this evening’s event.”
Day-MacLeod thanked the community for supporting the dance, saying it wouldn’t have been possible without that.