Youll find the most events in Barrow, though other towns inthe Sign-up for any of the following email series to help plan your Alaska trip. Traditional German music performances, alarge German food menu, unique beer releases, competitions, musical performances and alate nightdance. Nome usually fields nearly adozen teams, offering pretty competitive softball for asmall town on the far reaches of Alaska. The Kachemak Bay Wooden Boat Society holds an annual festival in September. For 2023, they are reinventing it as Solstice Luau: Interior Alaskas premier family-friendly Hawaiian food and music celebration. A city of tents sprang up overnight and by 1900, 232 ships had arrived in Nome carrying nearly 18,000 prospectors. Impossible one said. The festival will run October 11-18, 2022. If youd like to see ashow that most clearly represents pure artistic talent, this isit. The Gold Rush reality TV series that aired on Discovery Channel is all about, you guessed it, the gold rush in Alaska. Check out our Alaska festivals & events calendar to browse state-wide events. The day was not observed in South Dakota until 2020, when the governor proclaimed it a state holiday. Those robbers keep trying, year after year! It happens weekly from June through August, and on top of catching some great music, its afantastic chance to meet locals. Alaska Day is a legal holiday in the U.S. state of Alaska, observed on October 18. The party starts off at 9:30am with a children's parade down Broadway, followed by the main parade at 10am. Time your visit to late July/early August so you can participate in the Dog Salmon Festival, acommunity celebration with great food, crazy games, music, and dancing. There are race categories for allages! A re-enactment of the 1867 ceremony also occurs on this day it involves the lowering of the Russian flag and the raising of the United States flag on top of Castle Hill, accompanied by ceremonial music. Prospectors Joe Juneau and Richard Harris discover gold in the Klondike region, starting the gold rush in Alaska. People wearing wacky costumes and jumping into 35-degree water: sounds like the makings of afun Alaskan winter festival. On October 18, 1867, Alaska Day commemorates the formal transfer of the region from Russia to the United States, as well as the hoisting of the American flag in Sitka. An annual event with local Alaskan artists, featuring beautiful work for your holiday shopping pleasure. The stringed performances are truly impressive (theyve been featured in the New YorkTimes . more, One week after the town of Willow hosts the Iditarod Sled Dog Restart, locals take advantage of the groomed trail by playing golf on it! Considered one of Alaskas top birding events, this annual festival during early May celebrates the arrival of more than 5million migratory birds on the Copper River Delta east of Cordova. Each year, hundreds of thousands of fairgoers enjoyed nightly concerts featuring headline entertainers in the AT&T Concert Series, carnival rides and games, hundredsof Alaskas largest single-day event, the Midnight Sun Festival is held in June in Fairbanks and includes fun activitiesfor. Alaska maintained its status as a territory until it became the 49th state of the United States on January 3, 1959. more, Learn about the far north through the eyes of creative film-makers (many of them local) in this 2dayfilm. more, March is the month to get outside. The Haines Beerfest, as its known by locals, is very popular, and tickets sell out weeks in advance. Events include aparade down Front Street, amock bank robbery, and an icy plunge in the Bering Sea. Inspiring? Skagway: Independence Day Celebration. Calling all nature buffsor anyone who appreciates alarge gathering of creatures. While the celebrations slow down during the colder months, they certainly dont stop. Held on asingle day in late June or early July, youll have just ten hours to land the largest halibut you can and a $1,000 cash prize is on theline. Which one is right for you? Many people travel to Seldovia, across Kachemak Bay from Homer during summer solstice for music, games, food, workshopsand, Many people travel to Seldovia, across Kachemak Bay from Homer during summer solstice for music, games, food, workshops and fun during their three-day Summer Solstice Music Festival, apopular outing sponsored by the Seldovia Arts Council every year. This popular festival attracts folks from Anchorage and Fairbanks with its famed Bachelor Society Ball and Auction. Its all part of Nomes wacky annual celebration of summer solstice. The 2023 celebrations feature the popular parade at 11 a.m. and the annual Alaska Baseball League Fourth of July doubleheader between crosstown rivals the Anchorage Glacier Pilots and the Anchorage Bucs. Alaskan history is intertwined with American history, and National Alaska Day reminds us of this fact. Something magical happens in Soldotna every year during the fourth week of July. Its asmall field, usually under 15 people, and the race takes under 24hours. How much time you spend up there enjoying the grand view of Nome and the Bering Sea is all up toyou. Free personal GPSdriven travel guide to Alaska. Starting point is at the Denali Brewing Company. Sewards Day is a state holiday in Alaska, in the United States, on the last Monday of March. Drill ahole and start jigging for pike, alarge invasive species with avoracious appetite that grows to impressive lengths (winning fish are close to four feet long). The auction and ball, held the first Saturday of the month, are the highlights. Alaska Day was first observed in Sitka in 1949 with the unveiling of a two-ton commemorative bronze statue dedicated to early Alaskan pioneers. This festival warmly welcomes visitors. Volunteers are needed for this year's festival! Dont forget both your sunblock and mosquito repellent! With games throughout the summer and aMidnight Sun Festival tournament. Seward citizens aboard an Alaska Central Railway engine on at about Mile 45 on July 4, 1906. What we do know is that the ember grew into aflame and once released, grew legs, antlers and much moreA legend was born. You may find galleries hosting receptions with hors doeuvres, offering achance to meet local artists while enjoying astroll through downtown. Whether youre in the market for avaluable keepsake or alast-minute souvenir, youll likely find what you want here. Visit their website for more info. This big pullout doesnt look like much, but each spring bird watchers from around the world gather here to look for elusive species of raptors and falcons. The Gold Dust Dash is the first of many events celebrating summer solstice inNome. On National Alaska Day, we get a chance to learn about and share in this history and celebrate the fact that this amazing land is a part of the U.S. Youbet. The race course is an 8.2mile circumnavigation of Pennock Island, making it one of the most unique and one of the longestopen-water marathons. Which one is right for you? See what its like to be Nome for the Holidays at the much-anticipated Christmas Extravaganza fills Old St. Joes Hall with music, Santa and his elves, live reindeer, and just about everybody intown. (KCAW/Snider) Besides the usual marching bands and parade floats, this year's Alaska Day Festival in Sitka will have an unusual participant: The Alaska State Commission for Human Rights. Book entire boat for your family or group, or opt to bunk with other guests. To settle the argument, and the resulting wager, arace was held, with the loser to furnish drinks for the crowd. Each February aselect group of hardy souls sets out from Knik Lake to test themselves against Alaskas harsh. To celebrate National Alaska Day on June 28, USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is highlighting the innovative NIFA-funded research conducted by University of Alaska's Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. The free 12-hour street fair is marked by thousands of . Their mission? more. The festivities include arodeo, parade, livestock competition, horse show and exhibits ranging from arts and crafts to produce. A central event that caps off Sitka's Alaska Day Festival. On March 30, 1867, the United States purchased Alaska from the Russian Empire for the sum of $7.2million. A100mile human powered adventure in remote and beautiful interior Alaska, near Fairbanks. more, Flying, of course, is away of life in Alaska, and this air show celebrates the skilled pilots who. Alaskans come from all over the state to this annual party in Sitka, including politicians, musical bands and other dignitaries. Nonstop performances make for great family entertainment, like the short take-off and landing contest and the flour-bombing contest (where planes drop bags of flour on atarget). Marathon Race, waterfront fireworks display,and, On the Fourth of July, the population of Seward swells from around 2,500 to areported 40,000. This little lake is situated on the Peel Plateau, and is the site of the annual Midway Lake Music Festival, held the first weekend in August. Perfectly timed for the approaching holiday season, the Ketchikan Arts &Humanities Councils Winter Arts Faire showcases the creations of local artists, which make for great gifts. Plan your journey with this gorgeous printed map. Summer is not the only time to embrace Sitkas connection to our vast oceans and the inhabitants. Some 400 people come to Homer from all over, some of them gardeners from other parts of Alaska, and others from outside the state who simply have an interestin The 8leg relay starts in Haines Junction, Yukon, and ends in Ft. Seward in Haines, adistance of150. Many come to run in or watch the Mt. Background [ edit] Robbers with guns drawn stride down Nomes Front Street each solstice with one goal: to rob the bank and get away with bags of loot. Volunteers help out at the weigh-in stations and give hourly updates to the radio station, which airs these along with fish-ladder reports. The 19th century also brought dog sledding to the forefront of American consciousness. The Alaskan blueberry: plump, delicious, and so popular that every year Girdwood puts on abig celebration in honor of blueberry season. From music festivals to fishing derbies to the Iditarod, Alaska celebrates all things wild and wonderful at festivals & events year-round. Car, train, or group tour. We'll match you with a local itinerary expert to help you plan your trip. The Slush Cup is the perfect opportunity to see both. In mid-February, the Mat-Su Valley hosts the beginning of the longest and toughest snowmobile race event in the world: the Iron Dog. more, Reaching deep into asleeve of hot kettle corn for the kernels at the bottom amid apop-up city. If you love bluegrass and camping in the Alaskan wilderness, this is the festival for you. Activities include face painting, gold panning, an annual BBQ cook-off, sled dog puppies, and askate park. The Musk Ox Farm has hosted the Running with the Bulls trail race on the first Sunday in August. Portions of the Haines Highway are closed during the race, and plenty of partying takes place in town before and after this Januaryevent. The flag was so hoisted that in the instant it reached its place the report of the big gun of the Ossipee reverberated from the mountains around Captain Pestchouroff stepped up to me and said, "General Rousseau, by authority from his Majesty the Emperor of Russia, I transfer to the United States the Territory of Alaska" and in a few words I acknowledged the acceptance of the transfer, and the ceremony was at an end. (Tash Kimmell/KCAW) Alaska Day is a state holiday recognizing the transfer of Alaska from Russia to the United States. Take a trip to see Glacier Bay, which gives you a glimpse at a color of blue you cannot find anywhere else on Earth. They fly in from all over Alaska and line the tarmac with their planes. While the origins and founder of National Alaska Day remain elusive at the moment, we know plenty about how Alaska came to be a part of the U.S. Long before the Russians settled in this Arctic land, it was populated by indigenous people from tribes like Inuit, Yupik, Tlingit, and others. Two very different summer competitions feature afast race to the top. Occasionally the event includes local musicians, dancers or drummers. Join in the fun at this community event, filled with bingo, foodand excited raffle winners. Overwhelmed by choices? [10], Alaska Day is protested[11] by some Alaska Native people, who view the holiday as a celebration of the violence used to take their land away. Showcasing local residents kicking up their heels in abroad range of dance styles from ballet to boogie woogie to Filipino break dancing! Join arace FebruaryNovember! Are there broken bones in this race? Watch skiers speed down anarrow canyon for afull 2miles, then meet up with their snowmobiling partners, who tow the skiers uphill at full throttle before they race downhill again. The Musk Ox Farm has hosted the Running with the Bulls trail race on the first Sunday in August since 2002. The Celebration of Bears takes place in August, atime when the pink salmon run is peaking andbear. Every day is a holiday!Receive fresh holidays directly Focus on Denali & Kenai Fjords. Snowmachines are part of daily life around Nome, but you usually have to mind the speed limit. Our birding festival is designed to showcase and celebrate Peninsula birds, including lectures, social gatherings, field excursions, float trips, and a 24-hour Big Sit! Some 400 runners make their way north every fall to participate in this marathon, which was started in 1963. Drawn by alate run of chum and coho salmon, some 2,000 to 4,000 eagles converge on the Chilkat River Valley. Your must-have activity guide + map while in Alaska. Schools, government offices, and most business establishments are closed on this day as well. William Seward, the states secretary at that time, was the main hand behind the purchase. Bands play for 20hours each day, and there are vendors selling handmade craft items and food of all kinds. iStockphoto.com/dmathies What Do People Do? Artist Mavis Muller began this unique event, and today, it makes for avibrant evening, filled with music and dancing, that showcases astrong community spirit and respect for thelocal Explore travel websites for advice on when to visit and get started planning your trip! Survey data is powered by Wisevoter and Scholaroo, Vincy Mas in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, National Speak Up for Victims of Sexual Abuse Day, Support Your Local Chamber of Commerce Day. Interior Alaskas premier German-style early Oktoberfest, Augtoberfest features traditional German music performances, alarge German food menu, unique beer releases, competitions, musical performances and alate night danceparty. This episode of Our Grandparent's Teaching's explores the Alaskan holiday of Reconciliation Day or otherwise known as Alaska Day on October 18th. In early summer, Petersburg folks let their hair down during athree-day party to toast their Viking heritage. In atown of 14,000, youre likely to see as many as 8,000 people come out to this family-friendly event that celebrates the Southeast Alaskan blueberry. Markets, food vendors, live music, kids activities, parade, andmore. A team of 20 was assembled, including that of Leonhard Seppala, who was a venerated musher by then. 49th State Brewings Denali Park Pub does it big for their annual Solstice Festival on the third Saturday of every June. An annual community celebration held the fourth week of July. more, The Great Alaska Craftbeer and Home Brew Festival is aright of spring in Haines. Our picks for the best tours and experiences during your Alaska Cruise. Golden Days: Fairbanks, July 23. Plunging into the Bering Seas frigid waters takes alot of nerve, but each year dozens of folksjump. Millions of Alaskans celebrate their ancestry, culture, and customs, which are a mix of immigrants from all over the world and Native American tribes who had lived in the . If you have the time (and the budget) plan a holiday to see the wonders of this Arctic state. Thats when the famousand free! The most significant celebration takes place at the location of this original ceremony, Sitka, where schools and offices close so that people may attend a parade and flag-raising reenactment.
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