Klondike 28: World Gold Panning Championships – Dawson City

DAWSON CITY, YUKON — The Klondike Visitors Association (KVA) is proud to announce that Dawson City will host the 2028 World Gold Panning Championships from August 7–12, 2028. With less than two years until the championships, planning is now underway to welcome the world back to the Klondike.

Known as Klondike 28, the event will bring together hundreds of competitors and visitors from around the world for six days of world-class competition, Klondike history, northern hospitality, and unforgettable experiences that only Dawson City can provide.

The 2028 Championships will mark the fifth time Dawson City has hosted the event, following successful competitions in 1984, 1990, 1996, and 2007.

As the heart of the Klondike Gold Rush and one of the few places in the world where placer gold mining remains an active industry, Dawson City provides a fitting home for the World Gold Panning Championships. Hosted on the Traditional Territory of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, Klondike 28 will celebrate the region’s rich Indigenous and Gold Rush history while welcoming visitors to experience one of the world’s most unique destinations.

Paul Robitaille, Chair of the Klondike 28 Organizing Committee, said Dawson is honoured to once again welcome the international gold panning community to the Klondike.

“We’d like to invite gold panners from around the world to follow in the footsteps of the Klondike gold seekers of 1896 and discover the treasure that is Dawson City. Few destinations can offer what Dawson City can: a living Gold Rush history, active placer gold mining, spectacular northern landscapes, and a community unlike anywhere else in the world. We can’t wait to welcome competitors and visitors alike, showcase our community, our history, and our Yukon spirit, and host a World Gold Panning Championship worthy of the legacy of the Klondike Gold Rush.”

Planning for Klondike 28 is underway, and we’d love to hear from you. Whether you’re interested in volunteering, sponsoring the event, becoming a community partner, or simply learning more, please contact the Klondike 28 Committee at klondike28@gmail.com

Visitors planning their trip are encouraged to start exploring Dawson City and the Yukon by visiting DawsonCity.ca and TravelYukon.com, where they can discover accommodations, attractions, travel information, and begin planning their Klondike adventure. While Dawson City will host the championships, Klondike 28 is an opportunity to showcase the entire Yukon. We encourage visitors to take the time to explore the territory, experience its incredible communities and landscapes, and discover everything that makes the Yukon unlike anywhere else in the world.

Whether you’re coming to compete, volunteer, or simply experience one of the world’s most iconic Gold Rush destinations, we hope you’ll join us for Klondike 28. We can’t wait to welcome the world to Dawson City in August 2028