The show must go on, whether it's on stage at the Yukon Arts Centre or in the gym at Yukon College.

After the arts centre was evacuated Friday night, the Whitehorse Community Choir and the 300-member audience taking in the choir's Let It Snow performance were ushered over to the college's gym next door.

There, they all continued to sing Christmas carols while waiting for their coats and belongings which had been left with coat check staff at the show.

The evacuation happened about midway through the show when a sprinkler pipe burst in the 20-year-old centre's electrical room.

"There was quite a lot of water on the main floor,” fire chief Clive Sparks said this morning.

By the time the five firefighters arrived in two fire trucks, everyone had been taken to the gym to keep warm until they could get anything left at the coat check room.

Michele Emslie, the arts centre's acting CEO, said this morning the building was evacuated within eight minutes, according to the centre's policy.

Firefighters were on the scene for about a half-hour before cleaning crews came in and began the work of drying out the floor while repair crews fixed the pipe.

Emslie noted officials were relieved there was no extensive damage to the facility nor the art work that's part of the centre's gallery, aside from wet rugs.

The sprinkler system was repaired in time for Saturday's programs to go ahead. Those included the Kids Kreate art session for youngsters in the afternoon and the choir's Saturday night performance.

Audience members on Friday night were offered tickets to the choir's Saturday show so they could see the full performance.

The arts centre was also willing to refund the tickets with credit, but Emslie said there weren't a lot of patrons looking for that. A number opted to return Saturday.

While concerts and programming at the arts centre are proceeding as scheduled, Emslie said staff are continuing to use dehumidifiers and fans to get rid of the moisture in the floors.

Staff are therefore asking customers to come in the front door instead of using the side door, where the equipment to dry out the facility is located.

This is a very busy month for the arts centre, with a number of Christmas-themed shows and local performances happening until late this month.