Heaps of holiday fun planned across Nunavut this weekend

This Dec. 8 in Iqaluit, you can say hello to Santa and his elves during the annual Santa Claus Parade, which starts at noon from the Nakasuk School parking lot. Nunavut residents across the territory this weekend plan numerous fun activities, including charitable fundraisers (FILE PHOTO)

If you’re looking for something to do this holiday season, you’ll find many fundraising and food drive events across Nunavut this weekend.

Iqaluit

• On Friday, Dec. 7, in Iqaluit, you can head to a fundraising music event at the CBC building from 8 a.m to 10 a.m to raise money and non-perishable food for the Iqaluit soup kitchen and food bank.

• Also on Dec. 7, Inuksuk High School will hold a bingo night to raise money for the students’ academic and cultural trip to China this coming February. The doors open at six, and there’s $10,000 in prizes.

• On Dec. 8, the Santa Claus parade will start at noon from the Nakasuk School parking lot and will follow a route that will take it to the Arctic Winter Games arena

• Also on Dec. 8, the Tumikuluit Daycare in Iqaluit plans a “traditional clothing photo shoot fundraiser from 2 p.m to 4 p.m at the daycare.

There’s a sitting fee of $3 per person or $5 for a family of four. A package of photos is $50 and a CD of photos is $30. They can be bought together for $75.

• The Embrace Life Council is looking for donations of new items such as carvings, prints, kamiks, mitts, electronics, small appliances, tickets or services for the auction and raffle, to held at their upcoming annual fundraiser planned for January.

The event, to be held at the Gallery Dining Room at the Frobisher Inn, will be jazz themed with live music. Attendees are encouraged to dress in 1920s-style attire.

Money raised at the January event will go towards starting a survivors of suicide support group in Iqaluit.

Anyone interested in donating to the auction or raffle can contact the Embrace Life Council for more information, where they can also buy tickets for the event, which are $80 each.

Cambridge Bay

• Dec. 7 in Cambridge Bay a chili and bannock take-out night is planned for the Luke Novoligak Community Hall. The cost is $10 dollars a bowl and the proceeds will go to the Children’s Wish Foundation.

Rankin Inlet

• On Dec. 8 in Rankin Inlet, residents can enjoy fundraising concert called the “CBC Gift of Giving,” featuring the Roughcuts, Evan Morrison and Jen Rideout, Billy Gallant and Sarah, Patrick Kabluitok, 5 Miles Down, Sherry Morey and Shawna Seeteetnak, a hip-hop artist from Baker Lake.

“We thought it would be nice to do this event for the people of Rankin Inlet,” Verna Strickland of CBC Kivalliq said, who helped organize the concert.

The concert starts 7 p.m at the Singiittuq Complex and anyone over the age of 16 can attend.

A raffle draw is planned, with two plane tickets to Winnipeg as the first prize and 45 gallons of gas as the second prize.

Admission is $5 and people are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items.

The proceeds and food will be donated to the RCMP Food Hamper and the Deacon’s Cupboard.

Pangnirtung

• Dec. 8 in Pangnirtung a “loonie toonie” sale is planned for the Attagoyuk Ilisavik School. Items for sale will include hats for teens, kids and infants, as well as other handmade items and a grinder for carving.

The money raised will go towards the Attagoyuk sewing room, so that kids will get the supplies they need to make new things such as leather mitts.