My story begins with getting invited to attend & cover the 2016 Idea City conference this amazing conference filled with 50 speakers over 3 days & different genres / inspirational / educational/ though provoking / spark ideas & meeting awesome smart people 

Each Day is broken up into a Morning Pod, Afternoon Pod & Evening Pod & there is 3-4 speakers per pod & a conversation break per pod each pod is themed with speakers on that theme you really should attend this year if you can for ideacity 2017

It really was very cool & different conference I have ever attended each day left you enriched , educated & feeling great also meeting & building relationships that you can build during the 3 day conference the opening party after day 1 a casaloma was amazing way to start off the conference 

Then we were back at for Day 2 

Each day we started with a musical performance below was this amazing 14 year old Daniel Clarke Bouchard pianoist playing the canadian anthem to start our day 

Then move into speakers sessions (Pods) 

Each day there was great snack & beverages during each conversional break & there was food available during lunch too 

I really enjoyed the format of this conference & getting to know people & seeing everyone each day

So at the end of the 3rd day & final giveaway of this trip called the Arctic Explorer been given away by Adventure Canada & During my pre coverage I saw they were giving away this trip and in the back my mind I laughed what if I actually win this do I really wanna go to the Arctic? wasn’t really a priority to me I was like meh 

Then the moment came at the end of the day I was busy taking pictures live tweeting and they called Karen Nuygen for 5 mins they tried to look for her but eventually they couldn’t so they re-ran the simulator then it happened! There it was my name up in light in white & red JON GAUTHIER in front of a few hundred people I was like OMG! WTF That’s my name I jumped up and was hey I am here they what a whirl wind moment I had just won this $36,000 trip for 2 that I didn’t want ha! was hilarious that I called this moment when I was writing my idea city preview post now here I actually won it. 

Everyone was like who are you taking who are you taking was in shell shock still 

Blurted out well I don’t have anyone to take at the moment I am single so the jokes & take me take me started on stage & back then was whisked off to the afterparty 

Where my friend Steve took it upon him self to try & find me a date to create a contest 

To find someone to bring to the Arctic we interviewed this miss universe 2015 delegate and James delgato for a video intro 

I got hang out with Nikki Yankisky @ the ideacity closing party that was cool I appolized for not really paying attention to her playing as I was backstage with my winnings she was fun to chat with 

Also because of my win some of the staff from Selftraits (3D Printing) they were taking 360 pictures of everyone at the conference & they came up to me hey you won that Arctic prize we wanna give you a free sculpture if you take it with you to the Arctic & do selfies with it I was sure So it was kinda a wild night & weekend

So that Monday was fun going back to work telling everyone I had won this trip to the Arctic that past weekend got awesome reactions of “wait what you won what?”

Then as the months and days go by it was back in June got this and I wasn’t scheduled to be was leaving until August so lots of time to prep since I never been that far north I had to research but thankfully adventure Canada was in contact with me all the way through sent me welcome package intially through email 

Then i got this folder with an Arctic briefing & pre departure info packing list of what to bring so I headed off to Marks Warehouse to get geared up! 

So I want to thank Ideacity once again for an awsome three days of speakers & enlightenment, Education & fun parties and to Adventure Canada thanks for sponsoring & giving away this trip & giving me an experience of a life time definately an experience you will never forget. So really you should sign up & attend Idea city this year! You will love it and the people are awesome as well