Races, golf and lots of hot dogs on Day 1 of Toonik Tyme

There were many hugs, cheers and high-fives when Ava Dunphy crossed the finish line of the Toonik Tyme kids’ snowmobile race on Friday.

The 10-year-old was the fastest snowmobiler among the 13 competitors aged six to 13 who threw their hats — or more accurately, their helmets — in the ring, while about 200 people gathered on the ice of Frobisher Bay near Iqaluit Harbour to watch the race.

“I was just happy,” Dunphy said. She has been snowmobiling for as long as she can remember but had never taken part in any races.

“I am really proud of her,” Dunphy’s father Nick Dunphy said after the race.

“We just came here to have fun. We didn’t expect her to win.”

The best racers got trophies and some snowmobile gear including skates, helmets and goggles.

The snowmobile race was the final event on the first day of Toonik Tyme, Iqaluit’s annual spring festival.

The celebrations started at noon in front of the RCMP Iqaluit detachment where, in just 20 minutes, officers gave away hundreds of hot dogs and burgers to Iqalummiut.

At 1:30 p.m., a few dozen people came to the hills near the Arctic Winter Games arena to slide and hunt for 150 Easter eggs with chocolate, planted by Canadian North employees.

Five-year-old Aiden Panesar brought his compass to the scavenger hunt and was lucky to find one of only six golden eggs to win a Canadian North backpack along with some chocolate. He found a few more Easter eggs on his way, but decided to leave them for others to pick up, he said.

And across the street from the arena, on the Toonik Lake, a few golf enthusiasts tried their luck at ice golf in memory of former deputy mayor, firefighter and volunteer Bob Hanson. The golfers, including Hanson’s granddaughter Leah Hanson, were trying to get the ball into a little orange circle painted on the ice.

Toonik Tyme celebrations will continue until April 20.