Get ready for 'Wonderhorse,' Yukon's newest music festival

Whitehorse, meet Wonderhorse your newest music festival.

"We initially talked about the name 'Weirdhorse,' and decided that that wasn't the way to go, but that we wanted it to be kind of off-the-wall in a way, as well," said Nick Hyatt, one of the festival's organizers.

It's being billed as four-day "emerging music and arts festival," from May 14 to 17, 2020. And it won't just be in Whitehorse organizers are hoping to stage some of the events in Dawson City, Carcross, and maybe elsewhere.

"We really want to meet people where they are," Hyatt said.

If all goes well, the festival willbe an annual event.

"This is just the beginning for Wonderhorse, is our hope, and our plan," said Liz McCarville, another organizer.

Hyatt and McCarville are with Society of Something Shows, a local group that's been organizing and promoting shows around the territory for a few years now. The festival idea evolved from that.

"It's something we've been talking about for a little while," said Hyatt.

"It's been a lot of months of discussion and planning, and so it's just really exciting to finally share our vision our idea with our community."

Haviah Mighty to headline

Some of the performers already announced for this year's lineup include hip hop artist and 2019 Polaris Prize winner Haviah Mighty, post-punk quartet Necking, and experimental composer and saxophonist Ida Toninato. Local acts includethe Sweeties and Jeremy Parkin.

More acts will be announced in the coming weeks.

Yukon's annual festival calendar is already busy, andWonderhorse organizers say they want to ensure their event offers something different.

"We're wanting to present artists and experiences that maybe aren't as typical in the territories, we're really looking to broaden horizons for folks,"McCarvillesaid.

They also want to ensure the event has staying power. Many festivals have come and gone over the years in Yukon.

"It is, for a volunteer-run festival, a lot to organize. So we are aware of that, and trying not to burn ourselves out in the first year," Hyatt said.

"We're trying to create something sustainable."