Big fish, small fish — weird fish? Jam-packed weekend of fun and games set for Fort Good Hope

People in Fort Good Hope, N.W.T., will be cramming four holiday celebrations into one extra-long weekend, starting Friday, featuring games, a fishing derby, drum dances and more. 

"We're going to be very busy, and we're going to have a lot of fun doing it," said Gordon Yehtsa, the community's recreation co-ordinator.

Yehtsa has been in the thick of planning ever since he and other community members returned home earlier this month after a three-week evacuation due to a wildfire.

During those three weeks, Fort Good Hope missed out on Father's Day, National Indigenous Peoples Day, Canada Day and Sahtu Day.

Now, they're making up for lost time.

"We're hoping to see everybody there," Yehtsa said. "We just wanted to bring everybody back and get everybody together to celebrate."

Everything kicks off Friday with Sahtu Day celebrations, which are being organized by the Yamoga Land Corporation.

That's followed by Canada Day events on Saturday, Father's Day events on Sunday and a National Indigenous Peoples Day celebration on Monday.

"Drum dances every night," Yehtsa said.

Yehtsa said everyone he's talked to is especially excited for Sunday, where they'll compete in a fishing derby.

Prizes will go to those who catch the heaviest fish, the longest fish, and the weirdest fish.

"If you catch a loche or a pickerel — just something out of the ordinary that you don't usually catch during a fishing derby," he explained.

There are also categories for the most fish caught, the first and last fish caught, the lightest fish and the shortest fish.

Then, on Monday, people will get to participate in a competition called the Sahtu Trapper.

They'll have to run out of a tent, put a tea pot filled with water on a stove, saw through a block of wood, set a rabbit snare, dance a jig, talk to an elder in Dene Kǝdǝ́ and then run back into the tent.

"It's a timed game, and the fastest time wins," Yehtsa said.

All the events throughout the weekend are alcohol and drug-free, he added.

"We're hoping to have a sober, fun-filled weekend."