United States, making a side trip to Fort Simpson. Culture There are two main annual festivals which occur in Fort Simpson. The first which is held in March is known as the "Beavertail Jamboree". This is a winter carnival which includes traditional games, snowmobile races, and talent shows. The other festival is the "Open Sky Festival" which is held annually on or around the Canada Day long weekend. The Open Sky Festival is a multi-disciplinary arts festival which has occurred annually since 2001. Festival events include musical, theatrical, and other performances as well as traditional Dehcho Dene Crafts, visual arts, new media exhibitions, workshops, and demonstrations. The Open Sky festival is hosted by the Open Sky Creative Society, a multi-disciplinary arts organization serving artists working in the Dehcho region. The Dene of the community are represented by the Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ First Nation and the Métis by Fort Simpson Métis Local 52. Both groups belong to the Dehcho First Nations. Climate Fort Simpson has a subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc) with long, cold winters and warm but short summers. July temperatures are unusually warm for such northerly areas, which demonstrates the extreme continental nature of the area's climate. However, the heat quickly turns into long, cold winters when daylight hours turn drastically shorter. Transition seasons are extremely short, and the year is on average dominated by the winter and to a lesser extent, summer. The average monthly temperatures range from in January to in July. Most of the precipitation falls during the summer months. The highest temperature ever recorded in Fort Simpson was on 25 July 1994 and 13 July 2014. The coldest temperature ever recorded was on 1 February 1947. Notable residents Jim Antoine, eighth premier of the Northwest Territories William Lafferty, politician, Canadian Forces officer and news paper columnist Melaw Nakehk'o, actress, artist, and activist Nick Sibbeston, fourth premier of the Northwest Territories. Dahti Tsetso, Tłı̨chǫ environmentalist and educator, born in Fort Simpson See also List of municipalities in the Northwest Territories Fort Simpson Island Airport Fort Simpson Island Water Aerodrome Fort Simpson/Canadian Helicopters Heliport Fort Simpson/(Great Slave) Heliport References External links Official site Communities in the Dehcho Region Dene communities Hudson's Bay Company forts Heritage sites in the Northwest Territories National Historic Sites in the Northwest Territories Populated places on the Mackenzie River Villages in the Northwest Territories