Whether it was watching performances by the likes of Natalie MacMaster, taking in the cultural craft fair or going for a slide with friends at Shipyards Park or taking in an impressive fireworks display that had spectators applauding, the crowds were out in full force over the weekend for the annual Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous Festival.

“It was amazing,” Rendezvous vice-president Jenna Paton said in an interview this morning.

Many Rendezvous events – such as performances by the Sourdough Sam contestants vying for the title of primo Yukon male, events put on by the Queen candidates and performances by many others such as the cancan dancers – happened in the days leading up to Heritage Day (Friday).

The weekend, however, was crammed with all the major Rendezvous festivities from Friday onward to the final parade Sunday afternoon.

Paton and David Blottner, Rendezvous’ executive director, noted in separate interviews the new layout for the festival at Shipyards Park proved successful.

The festival was more spread out for events, with the parking lot closed off.

The warm weather saw many come out to take in the classic Rendezvous competitions like the axe throw or flour packing and more.

The hill was a popular draw for many to go sliding or take in the small terrain park set up by Mount Sima for skiers and snowboarders while snow-carvers worked in the warm weather perfecting their sculptures for the international competition.

“The weather was a blessing and a curse,” Paton said.

While many enjoyed the unseasonably warm temperatures, it made things pretty slippery in the park.

The warmer weather may have made it somewhat of a challenge for the snow-carvers to work in, but with the temperature dropping at night, she noted, the sculptures stayed intact.

By Saturday night, many viewers came to take in the sculptures as well as the fire dancers who performed near the toboggan hill – that was packed with spectators – prior to the fireworks display that lit up the night sky to delighted festival-goers.

Paton praised the work of the pyro team led by Warren Zakus and Kiara Adams who put on the fireworks display set to music that was broadcast for the entire city on CKRW.

Paton noted their work went into not only putting on a fireworks display, but also syncing it to a soundtrack that could be heard through Shipyards Park and by anyone tuned into CKRW.

Cheers and applause erupted through Shipyards Park as the fireworks display ended.

Saturday also saw Brooke Graham crowned the 2016 Rendezvous Queen with Stone Cold Sam Dawson taking the title of 2016 Sourdough Sam on Friday.

For Paton, one of the big highlights from this year’s event was the East Coast Kitchen Party held after the fireworks Saturday.

It seemed as though the entire community came together for the East meets North event, she said.

Throughout the weekend, there were some great performances by locals and those in town from Outside at the festival, Paton said.

Meanwhile, Blottner pointed to the success of the numerous KidsFest activities over the weekend, from musicians performing to the many games kids took in at the park.

The air show at the Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport, which brought in a number of Canadian Forces aircraft, was also a popular draw for the younger crowd over the weekend.

“We’re incredibly happy,” Blottner said.

The festival ended Sunday with spectators lined up through the downtown to take in the Rendezvous parade.

With another successful Rendezvous in the books, Paton said, the board will take a bit of breather, then get set to plan next year’s 53rd festival.