An Explorer's Guide to Faro, Yukon
Dateline: March 3, 2026.
In 1971, a meeting in the the Faro Recreation Office resulted in the creation of a unique festival that has had many successful years and is currently (2026) being held again.
The Ice Worm Squirm began as a week-long celebration in December - to the right, see their first ad in The Whitehorse Star, published on November 29, 1971. The first carnival included events for adults and children such as a golf tournament, games of chance, bonspiels for schools and adults, skating races, hayrides, a track meet, a badminton tournament, outdoor barbecues, ice sculpting, dances, snowmobile races and many other events. It was very successful, but it was felt that an end-of-winter event to deal with "cabin fever" and that tied more closely to the Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous in Whitehorse, would do even better, so the date was changed to the week immediately prior to Rendezvous.
The second Squirm was 9 days long, from February 10th until the 18th, 1973. The Throndiuk Connection composed and performed a theme song for this event, and a theatrical performance was added - a "mellerdrama" - which ran for two nights. At the opening Fireman's Ball on the 10th, a Queen, Evelyne Kelsey, was chosen to represent Faro at Rendezvous. The committee even invited Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, and Lorne Greene to come up for a visit! (all declined, though)
In 1974, the Frantic Follies Revue came up from Whitehorse for two days during the festivities, and that continued for many years.
In 1976, the Cyprus Anvil Mining Corporation sponsored the Peter Rolston Show for a performance in the Recreation Centre for all kids up to Grade 8. Rolston had at that point been appearing on B.C.T.V. for 9 years in the popular Saturday morning program "Pete's Place," and he brought with him puppets George and Cindy "to help him sing, laugh and teach his way through 75 minutes of fun."
With a few changes each year, the successful formula continued. Every attempt was made to include as many clubs and organizations operating in Faro as possible. The mine unions, Toastmistress Club, Pelly Players Drama Club, Lions, Elks and Legion Clubs, Karate and Judo clubs, badminton and curling club, Church groups, the Horseshoe club, the Historical Society, Hockey association, gymnastic club, basketball association and of course the famous Faro Winter Golf Association, all took part.
A report in the program of the 1975 Rendezvous said "It is the Winter Golf Tournament that has made the SQUIRM unique, and through this event, Faro has been able to receive publicity as far away as Dallas, Texas, and Miami, Florida. The first year saw the temperature drop to a breezy -62 degrees with 18 golfers participating. The next year, the weather co-operated and rose to a balmy 36 degrees which also brought out Bermuda Shorts, and various states of undress on the course. Last year over 100 golfers toured the course, and it was a golfer with hand hewn clubs that emerged the winner."
The Ice Worm Squirm vanished from Whitehorse newspapers for several years, and problems at the mine no doubt forced it to be cancelled - in 1985 only 97 residents remained in Faro. In 1994, though, the Squirm was revived as a 3-day event.
In 2001, the Faro office of realtors Coldwell Banker ran a bus from Whitehorse to the Ice Worm Squirm and back for only $20, leaving Friday and returning Monday. They had a large stock of very inexpensive homes to sell, so the interest for many people was probably broader than just the carnival.
On March 30, 2001, a large display ad in The Whitehorse Star said "The Community of Faro would like to thank all volunteers and participants for making our Ice Worm Squirm Extravaganza a resounding success. With all your support, this Squirm was the best ever!" Despite that message and a sponsor list that showed strong support from Whitehorse, the 2001 Squirm seems to have been the final one until 2018, when it was once again revived - it's now a 3-day event with a much smaller schedule of events aimed at local participation rather than regional as the early ones were.
The Whitehorse Star, February 17, 1975
"LOST IN SPACE - Four Faro men dressed up as spacemen for the Snowgolf championship during the Ice Worm Squirm last week."
(The Whitehorse Star, February 21, 1977)
The Whitehorse Star, March 11, 1994
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Full-page ad in The Whitehorse Star, March 9, 2001. Click to enlarge it.
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