Lorraine Wolfe simply wanted to buy some tickets.

But what was meant to be a quick stop on lunch break turned into a media event, complete with dignitaries, a mascot and flashing cameras.

The small crowd – including Tourism and Culture Minister Elaine Taylor, counc. Dave Austin and Borealis the mascot, among others – gathered yesterday at Sportslife to watch Wolfe become the first purchaser of 2012 Arctic Winter Games tickets.

Wolfe bought four Super Pass tickets, which will get her and family members into all preliminary indoor sporting events during the Arctic Games, which are set to play out in Whitehorse from March 4-10.

For Wolfe, this year's Games will be a family event with her husband and four children.

"I think it's very important for the youth in the North,” said Wolfe, whose son Devaughn Davies represented the Yukon at the 2010 Games in Grande Prarie, Alta.

"This gives them the opportunity to participate and be in the Games and be involved and to represent the Yukon. There are many talented youth that excel in sports.”

The Super Pass – which costs $30 for adults and $25 for children/seniors – excludes opening and closing ceremonies, cultural galas and gold medal hockey games.

Tickets to the opening and closing ceremonies cost $40 for adults and $35 for children/seniors.

Tickets for gold medal hockey cost $15 for adults and $10 children/seniors.

At $15 for adults and $10 for children/seniors, the Day Pass allows access to all preliminary round sport events and medal rounds (except gold medal hockey) for one day only.

Day passes will be available for purchase at Games time.

All tickets will be sold on location and at Sportslife (305 Main Street). Fans outside of Whitehorse can buy tickets by calling (867) 393-2012.

Host Society president George Arcand called the first purchase of tickets the kick off to the 2012 Games.

"Now we know for sure the Games are here,” Arcand said yesterday.

"We've committed to taking people's money; we'll make sure the Games happen.

"The committee and the staff have worked extremely hard to get here and to make it all right and get everything coordinated.”

Cultural event tickets will be sold at the Arts Centre box office or on-line starting mid-December.

Cultural tickets for Circumpolar Soundscape, Cold Spell: How We Winter and Gala 1 and Gala 2 are each priced at $35 for adults and $30 for children/seniors.

Arcand said the committee was determined to make ticket prices affordable.

"It's reflected in the price of the tickets and how it was designed,” Arcand said.

The Ticket model for the 2012 Arctics is altered from the 2000 Games, when Whitehorse last hosted.

The idea was similar for those Games and the 2007 Canada Winter Games but there were more individual tickets, Arcand said.

"This is a lesson from those; you need one ticket to go everywhere except for certain events,” he said.

Games ticketing chair Shanna Epp said the timing of the first ticket sales goes well with the upcoming holiday season.

"We are excited to offer fans the opportunity to celebrate the Games over this festive season with gift giving ideas for both the sports and cultural enthusiast,” said Epp.

"The Super Pass will give sports fans access to all indoor sport competition. Sold separately are ‘golden tickets' to the three highly anticipated gold medal games and will definitely be a hit with hockey lovers.”

Next up for the Host Society will be securing volunteers.

Arcand said the committee is hoping to attract 2,000 volunteers.

"We're on target, which puts us at 1,000-plus at the moment,” he said. "We know that lots of people are going to come out of the woodwork. The sooner people can come out…the better.

"We've seen it time and time again with Arctic Winter Games and Canada Games,

I've done single-event sports where we need volunteers – they're always there to help,” he added.

"A lot of the same people and a lot of new people coming out at the same time.”