Discovery Day — 17 August

On August 17, celebrate Discovery Day, an annual event in Yukon, Canada.  The day has both historical and cultural significance. In 1896, Skookum Jim Mason, originally named Keish by his Tagish parents, discovered gold in the Bonanza Creek. This discovery triggered the Kluane gold rush in 1905, eventually establishing  the Yukon as a Canadian territory.

Keish was one of the first native men to successfully straddle the worlds of both white and Indian peoples.  Before he died in 1916,  Keish set up a large trust fund benefiting his native community.  So, Discovery Day acknowledges this history with its week-long festival in Dawson City,  a fun, end-of-summer destination.  Enjoy walking tours, art exhibits, a golf tournament and more on Discovery Day.