Musicians from all over Western Canada will be rocking out in the Yukon next fall for the 2011 Western Canadian Music Awards.
The awards gala and musical showcase attracts more than 500 musicians and industry people from across the country.
Winning the bid is an exciting thing for the Yukon, said Film and Sound director Barbara Dunlop.
Yukon musicians will be invited to show off their talent on stage and attend workshops on a variety of professional music development topics.
The actual awards gala will attract all sorts of music lovers, said Dunlop speaking from Kelowna where she is attending the 2010 awards conference.
Anne Louise Genest, Gordie Tentrees and Magnus Opus Management are all being nominated for a Western Canadian Music Award this year.
Genest will battle it out for best roots group of the year while Tentrees is up against indy favourites Dan Mangan and Corb Lund for roots solo award of the year.
Meanwhile Debbie Peters’ entertainment outfit, Magnus Opus Management is vying for best agency.
The Yukon learned last week that it will be hosting next year’s award gala.
An announcement will be made on the final night of this year’s showcase by Yukon Economic Development Minister Jim Kenyon.
The Yukon has received $245,000 in funding from CanNor to plan and host the event and $145,000 from the Yukon government.
The remainder of the cost will be made up in ticket sales.
Next year’s awards gala, running from October 20 to 23, will be the first time the Yukon will host the event.