Celebrating Tradition and the History of the North
- Jun 11
- 4 min read
1788 Sled Dog Races and Winter Carnival | Fort Vermilion, AB
The crackling of a new fire warms a fresh pot of tea to be enjoyed with bannock made the day before. The morning moon still hangs high in the winter sky as the sound of crunching snow under snowshoes wakes up the team of huskies, excited for their morning feeding.
This was a way of life and survival for many northerners of the past. Today, the Fort Vermilion Recreation Board (FVRB) keeps these traditions alive, along with the history of the North, by way of friendly competition at their annual 1788 Sled Dog Races and Winter Carnival, which was held this year March 13, 14 and 15.
Competitions That Honour Survival in the North
“The annual Winter Carnival in Fort Vermilion has long been a beloved tradition,” said FVRB President Theresa Auger. “Celebrated as a time of friendly competition, this tradition of showing community pride and enjoying shared memories continues to bring joy to our hearts.”
Survival skills from the past took centre stage as men and women competed in separate events, battling for the hefty $1,000 first-place prize and trophy.
Participants battle freezing temperatures in a variety of competitions that honour local history, including tea making, bannock making, snowshoe racing—which turned into a deep snow race—sack carrying, log sawing, nail driving, moose calling and, just for fun, leg wrestling.
To win, participants are either timed or go head-to-head in competition. And, the bannock making and moose calling competitions are judged by former competitors.
Points were tallied after two days. Cherrie Davies and Paris Simpson tied for first in the women’s events, so they split the first and second place prizes. They each took home $750 and the shared title of Queen of the North.
For the men’s events, Julius Wiebe was crowned King of the North. He edged out Kwade Bruce by a single point, leaving Bruce with a very respectable $500 prize for second place. Originally from Lethbridge, AB, Bruce now works as a nurse in Fort Vermilion.
“Coming out and being part of the community and seeing so many people enjoying themselves was the best part of the whole weekend,” said Bruce. “I’ve come to realize that the simple task of making a fire to boil tea is a skill I need to brush up on.”
Spectators and participants thoroughly enjoy and embrace Fort Vermilion’s Winter Carnival, a time and place when events like bannock making highlight how early Northern inhabitants worked for food and warmth—without ovens.
Crowds cheered as participants raced through knee-deep snow or tried their hand at moose calling for the first time. Ultimately, the event does more than honour a history of survival—it captures the imagination of youth who might just be future competitors.
1788 Sled Dog Races
A major attraction to the weekend is the sled dog races. Brought back to Fort Vermilion in 2020, the FVRB hopes to continue hosting the races each year with the help of sponsorships from local companies.
The tradition of sled dog racing has turned into a very competitive sport. Thirteen teams battled in the 25 km, ten-dog race, and nine teams battled in the 15 km, six-dog race.
Teams from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, the Northwest Territories and two teams from as far away as Quebec all competed for a piece of the $15,000 purse and charcuterie board trophies, custom-made by the Backwoods Builder.
From Fort Providence, NWT, experienced-sled-dog-racer Danny Beaulieu loves coming to Fort Vermilion to compete.
“I’ve been racing since 1980,” said Beaulieu. “The first time I raced in Fort Vermilion was in 1985 when we had the race on the river.”
Beaulieu returned in 2020 before becoming Fort Vermilion’s ten-dog champion in 2023.
“There’s no better race around,” said Beaulieu.
Each musher has their own personal experience with the sport. Hailing from Hay River, NWT, participant Anthony Beck grew up in the culture.
“I’ve been racing since I was three years old,” said Beck. “It’s about keeping the tradition of dog racing alive and carrying on what my dad and grandfather did their whole lives, which was travelling by dog team.”
Carl Knudsen of Porcupine Plains, SK, returning champion from 2025, said the following during this year’s awards ceremony where he was crowned ten-dog race champion once again.
“We live on the road for three months of the year. We go to sled dog races all across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories and Montana. And, Fort Vermilion is the race we look forward to the most,” said Knudsen.
Knudsen’s wife Mya earned second place in the ten-dog race as well as second place in the six-dog race, losing by just one second to Alexis Campbell of Yellowknife, NWT.
To round off these events, children were invited to participate in a one-dog race, which gives them the experience and hopefully inspires them to keep the sport alive. These young participants were all given a prize from the FVRB.
Saturday featured dog sled rides by donation by Jared Unrau of Jackpine Huskies, who guided his Siberian huskies around a small looping track. Unrau is excited for next year’s Winter Carnival. During winter, he offers private tours at his Highway 88 property near Fort Vermilion.
It Takes a Village
The 1788 Sled Dog Races and Winter Carnival were made possible with community support and the generosity of its sponsors.
During the event, the Fort Vermilion Seniors Group put on a delicious pancake breakfast, and the Fort Vermilion Canadian Rangers were in full force helping where they could.
FVRB would like to send out a very special thank you to Thomas Simpson for working extra hard on the amazing track.
Great things happen when a community works together. The 1788 Sled Dog Races and Winter Carnival is back and thriving in Fort Vermilion and the FVRB looks forward to hosting it for many years to come.
By Cait and Cam Cardinal | Heather Batt Photography
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