Aurora Summit to Feature Dene Aurora Chaser from the NWT in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
Exciting news! At the 9th Annual Aurora Summit, we are proud to feature Keynote Speaker Joe Buffalo Child, also known as Joe Bailey, the original Aurora Hunter of Yellowknife! In November, we will welcome this Professional Aurora Hunter and Indigenous Aurora Tour Guide to the stage.
Joe’s connection to the land began on the traplines with his grandparents. Some of his earliest memories are of the aurora dancing above. “My grandmother taught us that when the lights are dancing and the solar wind is moving fast, it’s the spirit of someone who passed, reaching out—letting you know they are okay and reminding you to live a good life,” Joe says.
While beliefs vary among Inuit and First Nations groups, Joe views the lights as a message of goodwill from the ancestors. On his tours, he offers this deep cultural and spiritual context to his guests. He finds the greatest reward when visitors find personal healing or “genuine experiences” under the sky, noting that “that’s better than any tip.”
Joe is the CEO and principal owner of North Star Adventures, a tour company based out of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories of Canada. Founded in 2007, North Star Adventures was created by Joe and his family to showcase Dene culture while honoring his ancestors. Joe is known for his unique ability to find the northern lights even on cloudy nights—a skill he attributes to his grandfather’s lessons on reading the weather, clouds, and birds. “I watch the sky all day and instinctively I’ll know: Don’t go east. So we’ll go west,” he says.
Yellowknife is uniquely positioned directly under the auroral oval, in the dream location of the auroral zone. Because this region of Canada lacks oceans or mountains to trap cloud systems, the chance of getting a starry night to see the lights in this area is 98 percent. Joe’s tours go beyond simple viewing; he seeks out secluded spots away from other groups to provide a transcendent, solitary experience in the often frozen landscapes. On top of small group tours, he also offers storytelling tours focused on legends and the cultural significance of the land and sky; indigenous-perspective city tours where guests can see Yellowknife’s history through the eyes of the Dene people; and buffalo viewing experiences, giving guests a chance to see the majestic Wood buffalo (or bison) in their natural habitat.
Joe Buffalo Child is known around the world for his successful Aurora Hunting tours, and the photographs that capture the otherworldly splendor of Yellowknife’s painted skies. In these reaches of far northern Canada, it’s not uncommon to see all-sky Aurora, neon Northern Lights, “cinnamon rolls” or swirls, and the “Holy Grail” of Aurora Chasing: the corona.
Learn more about North Star Adventures: https://northstaradventures.ca/
Presenting a New Location
The annual “Aurora Summit: Celebrating the Art, Culture, Science and Photography of the Aurora” is coming to Houghton, Michigan in 2026, where the U.S. convention will be held in the northernmost location in its nine-year history. Home to Michigan Technological University, Houghton is a city located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula that’s surrounded by pristine bodies of water and serves as the gateway to Keweenaw Peninsula. The region boasts unique forests, waterfalls, lighthouses, rock-lined shores and wildlife. It features many scenic views for both daytime and night photographers with its rich mining and maritime history and culture.
Aurora Summit 26 will be held Friday, November 6 through Sunday, November 8, 2026, with most meals included in admission. Guests will also have the option of attending the pre-conference program of AS26 Photography Bootcamp at an additional cost, to learn everything they need to know to get dialed in for a weekend of night photography. The Photography Bootcamp will run from 9am-4:30pm on Friday, November 6th at Michigan Tech. Admission is required to attend the convention.
The venue for the main event will be Bonfire at the Continental Fire Company in Houghton, Michigan, and the Photography Bootcamp will be held on Michigan Tech’s campus the previous day. A large room block has been reserved at a hotel that features plentiful rooms and a complimentary hot breakfast for Aurora Summit guests. The room block will be announced when registration opens in June.
A Limited Edition Early Bird Rate to save 20% on Full Admission will be available to the first guests who register, in June. To be the first to know when registration launches, subscribe for email updates on our website: TheAuroraSummit.com/updates
For more information, visit: TheAuroraSummit.com
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