Information
Dolls & Toys (runs through beginning of January)—holiday exhibition of antique dolls & toys
Showcase of new work by Alaskan Artists
Great Alaska Beer & Barley Wine Festival
Anchorage Folk Festival
Kuskokwim 300 Sled Dog Race—race from Bethel to Aniak and back.
Bogus Creek 150 Sled Dog Race
Akiak Dash Sled Dog Race
Fairbanks
Rookie Spiel—two days of curling
Haines
Fall & Winter Gathering of Bald Eagles (runs through February)—The Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is home to about 4,000 American Bald Eagles during the winter season
Kodiak
Russian Christmas & Starring—unique Orthodox Church tradition
Russian New Year & Masquerade Ball
Sitka
Russian Christmas & Starring—unique Orthodox Church tradition
Soldotna
Peninsula winter Games—broom hockey, ice sculpting, sled rides, snow golf
Anchorage
All-Alaska Biennial Statewide Craft Exhibition (through mid-March)
Duct Tape Ball—dress to the nines in duct tape, elegant duct tape table settings
Open World Championship Sled Dog Races
Ski Train to Grandview
Symphony of Seafood
Fur Rendezvous—temporarily canceled, please check back for details
Anchorage convention & Visitors Bureau Torchlight Ski Parade
Tree Lighting Ceremony & Light Parade
Bethel
Christmas Arts & Crafts Fair
Big Lake
Tesoro Iron Dog--world’s longest showmachine race—Big Lake to Nome and back.
Christochina
Fun Days--sled dog races, snowshoe races, raffles, fishpond & food.
Cordova
Iceworm Festival--celebrate mid-winter with Cordova’s official Iceworm mascot.
Fairbanks
Winter Folkfest--music, food & fun
Athabascan Old-Time Fiddling Festival—dancing, guitar playing, fiddling
Gold Run--two-dog Skijoring, sled dog races
Yukon Title Curling Classic
Rookie Spiel—curling for new & old players
Girdwood
WinterFest--celebrate winter with a torchlight parade, fire & ice bonfire, and the
Annual Skins & Scales Telemark Ski Race.
Haines
Fall & Winter Gathering of Bald Eagles (runs through February)—The Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is home to about 4,000 American Bald Eagles during the winter season
Homer
Winter Carnival
Juneau
Public Market—Annual Christmas fair with Alaskan arts & crafts
Kenai
Kenai Peninsula Photographers Guild Annual Photography Exhibit
Annual Kenai Quilt Show
Kodiak
Sons of Norway Scandinavian Dinner—seafood, meatballs, lutefisk & Scandinavian bake sale
Main Street Kodiak’s Tree Lighting Ceremony
Petersburg
Festival of Lights—community tree lighting, music, caroling, food
Sitka
Whalefest—celebration of marine mammals with tours, speakers, sea chanteys, art trade market
Soldotna
Fall Bazaar, Arts & Craft Show
Tok
Annual Tok to Dawson Poker Run--snowmobile ride to Dawson City, Yukon Territory, Canada.
Tok-Tan Holiday Bazaar—handcrafted arts & crafts
Valdez
Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony & Festivities
Winterfest
Wasilla
Iditarod Days Festival (runs through mid March)--festivities that end with the start of the Official restart of the Iditarod
Junior Iditarod Race--160-miles sled dog race from Wasilla to Yentna Station Roadhouse and back.
Mat-Su Holiday Market Place
Whitehorse, Yukon Territory
Annual Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race--one thousand mile sled dog race from Whitehorse, YT to Fairbanks
Willow
Annual Winter Carnival--Outhouse Challenge, quilt contest, chili taste-off, weight-pull
Wrangell
Tent City Winter Festival--celebration of the gold rush days
Anchorage
Biennial Statewide Craft Exhibition (through mid-March)
Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race--this 1,049 mile marathon race begins at Fourth Avenue and D Street and ends anywhere from 10 days to two weeks later in Nome.
Nike ACG U.S. Snowshoe National Championships
Ski Train to Curry--Nordic skiing in and around the now-abandoned town of Curry, Alaska. Curry is near Denali National Park & preserve
Alaska Fiber Festival--this is the largest semi-annual Quilting Extravaganza held in Alaska.
Chatanika
Annual Chatanika Days--winter festival, outhouse races, long-john contest, snowmachine tug-of-war
Dillingham
Annual Beaver Roundup Festival—fur pelt auction, Native arts & crafts.
Fairbanks
World Ice Art Championships—features ice carvers from around the world. Sculptures displayed until they melt.
Festival of Native Arts—dancing, singing, storytelling, traditional Alaskan arts and crafts
Jeff Studdert Passenger Sled Dog Race—Passenger race with one person in the sled, one driving. At the halfway point they switch places for the finish.
ACS Open North American Sled Dog Race—the oldest continuously run, spring sled dog race.
Art Expo—showcases Alaskan Arts
International Bonspiel—annual curling competition
Yukon Quest International
Homer
Winter King Salmon Tournament—all-day fishing tournament.
Ketchikan
Festival of the North—mid-winter celebration showcasing Ketchikan-area arts organizations.
Kodiak
ComFish Alaska—Alaska’s largest and longest running fisheries trade show.
Pillar Mountain Golf Classic—a par-70, one-hole cross-country golf tournament up the side of 1,400-foot Pillar Mountain. No power tools are permitted.
Kotzebue
8-Dog Championship Sled Dog Race
Nenana
Nenana Ice Classic Tripod Weekend—festival centered on raising the tripod for the Nenana Ice Classic, and a lottery for guessing the minute of the breakup of the Tanana River.
Nome
Month of Iditarod—snow shoe softball, Eskimo dancing, Idita-swim, and Iditarod awards banquet.
Iditarod Awards Banquet—recognizes the efforts of all of the mushers, dogs, and volunteers
associated with the Iditarod Race.Bering Sea Ice Golf Classic—Par-41, six-hole course played entirely on the frozen Bering Sea with bright orange golf balls.
Skagway
Buckwheat Ski Classic—a cross-country ski race
Tok
Annual Tok to Dawson Poker Run--snowmobile ride to Dawson City, Yukon Territory, Canada.
Tok Race of Champions—sled dog racing
Valdez
Frosty Fever Festival—snow-sculpting competition, snow machine races, snow bank drive-in movie
Alaskan Local Snowboarding Championships
Wasilla
Iditarod Days Festival (runs through mid March)--festivities that end with the start of the Official restart of the Iditarod
Anchorage
Great Alaska Sportsman Show—backpaking clinics, big-game hunting tips, trip & charter info.
Bethel
Camai Dance Festival—Alaskan and international dance groups
Fairbanks
Chena Hot Springs Resort Centennial Dog Sled Passenger Race
Girdwood
Spring Carnival—mountain bike slalom, slush cup ski race,
Juneau
Alaska Fold Festival—folk musicians gather for a week of fun, music and dancing
Ketchikan
Alaska Hummingbird Festival—guided walks & video
Kodiak
Whale Fest—Lectures, art, and spotting during the spring migration of gray and other whale species
Kotzebue
Arctic Circle Championship Sled Dog Race
Skagway
International Folk Festival
Wrangell
Garnet Festival—a “gem” of an extravaganza, golf tournament, birding tours, arts & crafts
Anchorage
Native youth Olympics—Alaskan Native students gather for traditional sports competition
Anchor River
Salt Water King Salmon Derby
Cordova
Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival—view over 10 million indigenous shorebirds on their annual northern migration, art fair, classes, folk music.
Haines
Great Alaska Craft Beer & Home Brew Festival
Haines King Salmon Derby
Homer
Homer jackpot Halibut Derby—(runs through September) four monthly prizes, tagged fish & largest fish wins
Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival—nature walks, bay cruises, arts & crafts
Wooden Boat Festival—boat exhibits, rowboat races, demonstrations
Kachemak Kayak Festival
Juneau
Spring King Salmon Derby—proceeds fund scholarships
Ketchikan
Ketchikan King Salmon Derby
Kodiak
Kodiak Crab Festival—survival-suit races, frog jumping, “Blessing of the Fleet” parade
Palmer
Musk Ox & Mom’s Summer Grand Opening—tours, entertainment & BBQ at the Musk Ox Farm
Petersburg
Little Norway Festival—celebration of Norwegian heritage
King Salmon Derby
Sitka
Sitka Salmon Derby
Skagway
Skagway Film Festival
Valdez
“May day” Fly In—aerial displays, exhibits, competitions, pancake breakfast
Annual Halibut Derby
Wasilla
Mat-Su King Salmon Derby (runs through mid July)
Wrangell
Salmon Derby
Anchorage
Spirit Days—American Indian & Alaskan Native cultures
Three Barons Renaissance Fair
Trio Bagpipe Competition
Alaskan Kennel Club—all breeds dog show
Alaska Botanical Garden Fair
Cordova
Copper River Wild! Salmon Days—marathons, run/walks, BBQ
Eagle River
Alaska Highland Games
Fairbanks
Midnight Sun Festival / Summer Solstice Celebration
Yukon 800 Marathon Boat Race--800-miles riverboat race from Fairbanks to Galena and back
Homer
Homer Yacht Club Regatta
Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby—(runs through September) four monthly prizes, tagged fish & largest fish wins
Juneau
Gold Rush Days—festival of logging & mining events, food & fun
Kenai
Kenai River Festival—promotes the preservation of the Kenai River
Ketchikan
Kodiak Crab Festival—survival-suit races, frog jumping, “Blessing of the Fleet” parade
Nome
Midnight Sun Festival—Nome’s 24 hours of daylight celebration, polar bear swim, music & food
Palmer
Colony Days—festival days honoring the start of the farming colony
Sitka
Sitka Salmon Derby
Wasilla
Mat-Su King Salmon Derby (runs through mid July)
Wrangell
Salmon Derby
Anchorage
Alaska Oceans Festival—music, speakers, educational activities, food
Anderson
Bluegrass & Country Music Festival
Cordova
Salmon Jam Music Festival—arts, crafts, food
Denali Park
Nenana Wildwater Festival—whitewater races, river-safety games, food
Eagle
Old-fashioned Fourth of July—traditional festivities, food, games, parade
Eagle River
Hog Wild for Bear Paw—festival, Odor-eaters Rotten Sneaker Contest, 5K run & Bear Paw Frolic (Alaska’s shortest fun run, because fun runs stop being fun after the first 300 yards)
Fairbanks
Golden Days—Felix Pedro look-alike contest, Red Green River Regatta, beer fest, rubber ducky race
World Eskimo-Indian Olympics—knuckle hop, one-foot high kick & dancing
Girdwood
Girdwood Forest Faire—arts & crafts, live music, and food in the forest
Haines
Southeast Alaska State Fair
Homer
Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby—(runs through September) four monthly prizes, tagged fish & largest fish wins
Homer Street Fair—arts, crafts, food, live music
Natural History of Kachemak Bay—annual elderhostel program
Beaches and Blossoms
Juneau
Fourth of July Celebration—fireworks over Gastineau Channel, sand-castle building contest
Ketchikan
Timber Carnival—chopping, sawing, & tree climbing events
Kodiak
Alutiiq Museum Community Archaeology Program (runs through first of August)—excavation of an archaeological site
Salmonberry Festival—bring your berry creations for judging & prizes
McCarthy
McCarthy History Weekend—historical slide show & lecture
Wacky town Parade—community games, races BBQ & live band
Naknek
Fishtival--fishing heritage events, tug-of-war, dinghy races, fish-filleting, salmon BBQ, buoy-tossing contest
Nome
Poor Man’s Paradise—gold-panning contest
North Pole
Summer Festival—bazaar and food, carnival rides
Seward
Mount Marathon Race & Fourth of July Celebration—race to the top of Mount Marathon & back
Skagway
Soapy Smith’s Wake—toast the infamous con man of Skagway, shot dead July 8, 1898
Talkeetna
Moose Dropping Festival—Mountain Mother Contest, Moose dropping contest
Valdez
Halibut Derby—weekly prizes (runs through first part of September)
Silver Salmon Derby (runs through first part of September)
Wasilla
Mat-Su King Salmon Derby (runs through mid July)
Willow
Coyote Garden Tour
Anchorage
Downtown Soup Kitchen Silver Slam’n Salm’n Derby
Chitina
Fat Tire Festival—Chitina to McCarthy 60-mile race along the old railroad route.
Cordova
Heritage Fisheries Week—“Taste of Cordova” seafood fest and “Fish Follies” art show
Delta Junction
Deltana Fair—handicrafts, horse show, livestock & agriculture displays, mud bogs, BBQ
Fairbanks
Tanana Valley Sandhill Crane Festival
Homer
Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby—(runs through September) four monthly prizes, tagged fish & largest fish wins
Seafair Safety Rodeo—Rescue demonstrations, competitions, boat show
Juneau
Golden North Salmon Derby—prize money for first place & tagged fist
Kodiak
Alutiiq Museum Community Archaeology Program (runs through first of August)—excavation of an archaeological site
Pilgrimage to St. Herman’s Monks Lagoon—celebration of the canonization of Father Herman
Palmer
Running with the Bull—run with a Musk Ox bull
Alaska State Fair (runs through beginning of September)—see giant cabbages, farm animals, arts & crafts
Petersburg
Canned Salmon Classic—guess the number of cans of pink salmon canned this season
Seward
Silver Salmon Derby—anglers compete for cash and prizes
Talkeetna
“The Original” Talkeetna Bluegrass Festival—Alaska’s greatest camp-out
Valdez
Halibut Derby—weekly prizes (runs through first part of September)
Silver Salmon Derby (runs through first part of September)
Gold Rush Days
Anchorage
Great Alaska Quilt Show—show and silent auction
Home & Garden Show
Blues Train to Seward
Cold Bay
Russel Creek Silver Salmon Derby—polar bear jump, homemade raft race, rubber-duck race
Fairbanks
Tanana Valley Potato Extravaganza—six-course featuring locally grown potatoes prepared by the Midnight Sun chefs Association
Homer
Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby (runs through September)--four monthly prizes, tagged fish & largest fish wins
Peterson Bay Program (runs through beginning of September)—learn about the rich habitat of Kachemak Bay
Kodiak
Silver Salmon Derby (runs through beginning of October)
Kodiak State Fair and Rodeo
Island Championship Golf Tournament
Ironman Triathlon
Nome
Bathtub Race—mounted on wheels, bathtubs race at high noon
Rubber Duck Race
Anvil 59 Minutes 37 Seconds Challenge—Run up and down Anvil Mountain in under a minute or be disqualified
Palmer
Alaska State Fair (runs through beginning of September)—see giant cabbages, farm animals, arts & crafts
Skagway
Klondike Trail of ’98 International Road Relay—a 10 stage road relay retracing the route of the 1898 gold rush
Unalaska / Dutch Harbor
Blueberry Bash—bake-off featuring Unalaska’s true blue wild blueberry
Valdez
Halibut Derby—weekly prizes (runs through beginning of September)
Silver Salmon Derby (runs through first part of September)
Spawn ‘til Dawn Party—Halibut & Silver Salmon Derby awards party
Anchorage
Alaska Winter Recreation & Travel Show
Make it Alaskan Festival—handcrafted items by Alaskan artists
OctoBear Fest at the Alaska Zoo
Oktoberfest
Fairbanks
Winter Show—trade show, technology row, Octoberfest
International Sled Dog Symposium—workshops & presentations on sled dog topics
Alaska Federation of Natives Convention (AFN)—elders & youth conferences, dancing, arts & crafts
Haines
Fall & Winter Gathering of Bald Eagles (runs through February)—The Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is home to about 4,000 American Bald Eagles during the winter season
Homer
Jackpot Halibut Derby Awards Party
Ketchikan
Alaska forest Associations’ Annual Convention
Kodiak
National Wildlife Refuge Week
Palmer
Alaska State Fair Holiday Bazaar
Petersburg
Humpy 500 Go-Cart Race & Seafood Fest—food, crafts, games & entertainment with a “Fishy” theme
Octoberfest Artshare—arts & crafts, food
Sitka
Whale Watching (through mid-December)—Waters around Sitka are a popular feeding ground for Humpback Whales as they migrate south for the winter
Alaska Day Festival—re-enactment of the transfer of Alaska from Russia, ceremonies, costume ball, dances, contests
Skagway
Southeast Alaska Quilt Retreat
Wasilla
Annual Alaska Day Dinner
Wrangell
Harvest Festival
Anchorage
Dolls & Toys (runs through beginning of January)—holiday exhibition of antique dolls & toys
Haines
Fall & Winter Gathering of Bald Eagles (runs through February)—The Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is home to about 4,000 American Bald Eagles during the winter season
Sitka
Whale Watching (through mid-December)—Waters around Sitka are a popular feeding ground for Humpback Whales as they migrate south for the winter
Anchorage
Dolls & Toys (runs through beginning of January)—holiday exhibition of antique dolls & toys
Anchorage International Film Festival
Holiday Crafts Fair at University of Alaska Anchorage
Holiday Train—take the train to Seward and back with Santa and his elves
Oscar Anderson House Museum Swedish Christmas
New Year’s Eve Ball with the Anchorage Opera
Anderson
Christmas Bazaar
Cordova
Christmas Bazaar
Dillingham
Nushagak 200 Classic— an Iditarod qualifier, sled dog race from Dillilngham to Koliganek and back
Eagle
Christmas Bazaar—raffle drawing for handmade quilt
Eagle River
Classic Sled Dog Race
Six-dog Sled Dog Race
Fairbanks
Heart of Darkness Snowshoe Race—races run regardless of weather
Winter Solstice Celebration—Santa, music
Girdwood
New Year’s Eve Torchlight Parade & Fireworks display
Haines
Fall & Winter Gathering of Bald Eagles (runs through February)—the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is home to about 4,000 American Bald Eagles during the winter season
Alcan 200 Road Rally—snow machine race from the Alcan border to Dezadeash Lake on the Haines Highway and back.
Homer
Nutcracker Arts & Crafts Fair
Kenai
Kenai Peninsula Photographers Guild Exhibit
Ketchikan
Winterfest
Kodiak
Harbor Stars—A Christmas fleet parade of brightly decorated vessels
Nome
Fireman’s Carnival
Palmer
Colony Christmas Celebration—horse-drawn sleigh, crafts fair, parade of lights, caroling & fireworks
Petersburg
Julebukking—Norwegian tradition of customer appreciation, food, spirits
Seward
Holiday Train—take the train to Seward and back with Santa and his elves
Polar Bear Festival—watch costumed crazies plunge into the icy waters of Resurrection Bay
Sitka
Whale Watching (through mid-December)—Waters around Sitka are a popular feeding ground for Humpback Whales as they migrate south for the winter
Artisans Market—high quality handcrafted, fine are & Alaska-made products
Talkeetna
Winterfest—tour of decorated trees, Carhartt Days
Wilderness Women’s Contest & Bachelor Society Auction & Ball—women compete in wood chopping, hunting water carrying and carrying a beer to a bachelor
Willow
Winter Carnival— Talent or Not Show, fireworks, dog, races, weight pull
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