Dawson City Music Festival, Yukon

When: July 15–17, 2011

Liner notes: This indie festival has attracted Canadian musical legends – including Bruce Cockburn, Barenaked Ladies and Buffy Sainte-Marie – and turned Dawson City into a northern arts mecca. This year, Weakerthans frontman John K. Samson and performer-wife Christine Fellows are songwriters-in-residence; Tanya Tagaq, an Inuit throat singer who’s collaborated with Björk, is a headliner.

Playlist: Pop, troubadour folk, rock

Bonus track: Take a break from the mainstage with a visit to Jack London’s Gold Rush-era log cabin.