The town of 2,270 people is a historical gold rush mecca. It proudly displays its late 19th century heritage and gold rush town traditions with a historic downtown, boardwalk, saloons, and a vintage sternwheeler. Currently, the city is part of the Dawson Historical Complex, a National Historic Site of Canada. Population and steets in Dawson City are indicative of the town's history. However, the real journey is to view things with new eyes.
The community's demography is generally stable, with a low-to-moderate rate of change. With many employment opportunities, the population of Dawson is expected to remain below the age of 40 for the foreseeable future. Although the population of Dawson City is growing, it must retain its current residents to remain a viable place. Its location on the Yukon River is a big advantage for tourism, but it may not be as desirable as residents' desires.
In summer, the city is bustling with activities. The Dawson City Music Festival is held annually in July. Festivalgoers arrive with guitar cases, muddy RVs, flip-flops, and backpacks. Hotels are often booked months in advance, and the city's baseball field is transformed into a tent city. The festival features performances by Toronto's Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir, Swin' Fish Nuggets, and Faroe Islander Eivor Palsdottir.
Before gold was discovered in the Yukon River, the town was barely populated. During the gold rush, Dawson City became the biggest Canadian city west of Winnipeg. As the gold-rush boom swept through the Yukon River, entrepreneurs began turning the neophyte miners into cash. Gold poured into the town on muleback, slapped on bar tables in exchange for expensive champagne, oysters, and kid gloves from London. One fellow purchased a dance-hall queen for her weight in gold.