Great Land of Alaska

Calendar of Annual Events

January

Anchorage—Great Alaska Beer and Barleywine Festival; Folk Festival; Visitor Industry Job Fair; Crystal Gallery of Ice; Wedding Fair; Symphony of Seafood; WinterFest; U.S. Cross-Country Skiing National Championship.

Anchor Point—Cabin Fever Variety Show.

Bethel—Kuskokwim 300 Sled Dog Race.

Big Lake—Kondike 300 Sled Dog Derby; Ice Classic (through April).

Chistochina—Copper Basin 300 Sled Dog Race.

Glennallen—Copper Basin 300 Sled Dog Race.

Haines—Alcan 200 International Snowmachine Race.

Juneau—State Legislature convenes.

Kenai—Tustumena 200 Sled Dog Race; Annual Awards Ceremony; Peninsula Winter Games.

Kodiak—Russian Christmas and Starring; Russian New Year and Masquerade Ball.

Seward—Polar Bear Jump-Off Festival; Sports and Rec Show.

Sitka—Northwest Coast ARts Symposium; Russian Christmas and Starring.

Soldotna—Tustumena 200 Sled Dog Race; Peninsula Winter Games.

Unalaska—Russian Orthodox Christmas and Starring; Russian Orthodox New Year; Qawalangin Tribe Masquerade Ball.

Willow—Winter Carnival.

February

Anchorage—Fur Rendezvous; Duct Tape Ball; World Championship sled Dog Races; Ski for Women.

Anchor Point—Snow Rondi.

Big Lake—Tesoro Iron Dog Snowmachine Race; Eliminator K-400 Snowmachine Race; Susitna 100 Race and Little Su 50K.

Chistochina—Fun Days.

Cordova—Iceworm Festival.

Delta Junction—Festival of Lights with Fireworks Display; Polar Bear Plunge; Arts and Crafts Galleria.

Fairbanks—Tesoro Iron Dog Snowmachine Race; Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race; Junior Yukon Quest; Yukon Quest 300.

Girdwood—Winterfest at Alyeska Resort.

Homer—Winter Carnival.

Kenai—Quilt Show (through April); Hospice Wine Tasting & Auction.

Ketchikan—Festival of the North.

Kodiak—Arts and Adventure Auction.

Naknek—Winterfest.

Nome—Tesoro Iron Dog Snowmachine Race.

Sitka—Jazz Festival; Alaska Airlines Winter Classic Concert Series.

Tok—Trek Over the Top; Tok to Dawson International Poker Run (snowmachine).

Unalaska—Aleutian Arts Council Annual Tacky Party; Oonalaska Wellness Center Wellness Gathering.

Valdez—PWSCC Annual Dinner and Auction.

Wasilla—Iditarod Days Festival; Iditasport; Tesoro Iron Dog Snowmachine Race.

Willow—Winter Carnival.

Wrangell—Tent City Days.

March

Anchorage—Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race; Tour of Anchorage Cross-Country Ski Race; Miners and Trappers Ball; Homebuilders & Remodeling Show; March Madness State Basketball Tournament; Alpine Nationals.

Big Lake—Klondike 150 Snowmachine Race.

Chatanika—Chatanika Days.

Chugiak/Eagle River—Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

Dillingham—Beaver Roundup Festival; Nushagak Classic Sled Dog Race.

Fairbanks—Festival of Native Arts; GCI Open North American Sled Dog Championships; Winter Carnival; World Ice Art Championship; Limited North American Sled Dog Championships; Art Expo.

Homer—Winter King Salmon Tournament.

Houston—Mat-Su Pike Derby.

Juneau—Gold Medal Basketball Tournament.

Kenai—Central Peninsula Writers' Night.

Ketchikan—An Evening of Dance.

Kodiak—Comfish Alaska.

Nenana—Nenana Ice Classic Tripod Weekend.

Nome—Bering Sea Ice Golf Classic; Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race; Miners and Mushers Ball; Nome-Golovin Snowmachine Race; Nome Council Sled Dog Race.

Palmer—Lions Club Gun Show.

Skagway—Buckwheat Ski Classic.

Soldotna—St. Patrick's Day Celebration.

Tok—Race of Champions (sled dog); Trek Over the Top; Tok to Dawson International Poker Run (snowmachine).

Trapper Creek—Cabin Fever Reliever.

Unalaksa—USAFV Soup-off; Ballyhoo Lions Club Easter Breakfast and Fund Raiser; Community Children's Easter Event; Polar Bear Run.

Valdez—Mayor's Cup Snowmachine Race; Sno-X Race.

Wasilla—Iditarod Days Festival; Mat-Su Outdoorsman Show.

WillowIditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Restart.

April

Anchorage—Anchorage Daily News Heart Run; Great Alaskan Sportsman Show; Native Youth Olympics; Alaska Women's Show.

Barrow—Spring Festival (Piuraagiaqta).

Bethel—Camai Dance Festival.

Big Lake—Annual Chamber Banquet and Auction.

Chugiak/Eagle River—Chamber Famous Annual Garden Tea Party.

Craig/Klawok—Salmon Derby (through July).

Fairbanks—Arctic Man Ski and Snow-Go Classic; Beat Beethoven 5K Run; International Curling Bonspiel.

Girdwood—Alyeska Spring Carnival and Slush Cup.

Homer—Sea to Ski Triathalon.

Juneau—Alaska Folk Festival.

Kodiak—Tastes & Tales of the Sea; King Salmon Derby.

Ninilchik—King Salmon Derby.

Nome—Cannonball Run.

Skagway—International Mini Folk Festival.

Soldotna—Kenai Peninsula Sports & Rec Trade Show.

Sutton—Annual Coalminers' Ball.

Tok—Tok Trot.

Valdez—Mountain Man Snowmobile Hill Climb Competition.

Wrangell—Garnet Festival.

May

Anchorage—Visitor Industry Charity Walk.

Anchor Point—Memorial Day Weekend Family Fun Festival

Chugiak/Eagle River—Eagle River Nature Center Seymour Challenge.

Cordova—Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival.

Delta Junction—Buffalo Wallow Square Dance Festival; Friendly Frontier Days.

Fairbanks—Chena River Run; Annual Harley Davidson Spring Run.

Haines—Great Alaska Craftbeer and Homebrew Festival; King Salmon Derby.

Hollis—Prince of Wales Island International Marathon, Hollis to Craig.

Homer—Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival; Kachemak Bay Sea Festival; Jackpot Halibut Derby begins (summer long); Quilt Show.

Juneau—Jazz and Classics Festival; Spring King Salmon Derby.

Ketchikan—Celebration of the Sea; Ballet Spring Gala.

Kodiak—Crab Festival; International Migratory Bird Day; Chad Ogden Ultramarathon.

Ninilchik—Memorial Day Pancake Breakfast.

Nome—Stroke and Croak Mini Triathalon.

Pelican—Boardwalk Boogie.

Petersburg—Little Norway Festival; Salmon Derby.

Seward—Seward Harbor Opening Weekend (S.H.O.W.).

Sitka—Salmon Derby; Julie Hughes Triathalon.

Soldotna—State Parks Annual Kenai River Clean-Up.

Thorne Bay—Salmon Derby (through July).

Tok—Upper Tanana Migratory Bird Festival.

Unalaska—Cinco de Mayo Fiesta; Aleutian Arts Council Just Desserts Coffehouse/Concert; Annual Soap Box Derby.

Valdez—Halibut Derby (through September); May Day Fly-In.

Wasilla—Mat-Su King Salmon Derby (through July).

Wrangell—King Salmon Derby (through June).

June

Anchorage—Mayor's Marathon and Half Marathon; AWAIC Summer Solstice Festival; Alaska Run for Women; Three Barons Renaissance Fair; Junteenth Celebration; Slam'n Salm'n King Derby.

Anchor Point—Kids All-American Fishing Derby.

Barrow—Nalukataq Whaling Festival.

Big Lake—Triathalon; DenaliUp Challenge Golf Classic.

Chugiak/Eagle River—Alaskan Scottish Highland Games.

Cordova—Copper River Nouveau.

Dillingham—Wild Fish Festival.

Fairbanks—Midnight Sun Run; Midnight Sun Baseball Game; Midnight Sun Festival; Yukon 800 Boat Race; Summer Folk Fest.

Haines—Kluane to Chilkat International Bike Race; King Salmon Derby; Summer Solstice Celebration; Ride Yukon Motorcycle Rally.

Homer—Kachemak Bay Writers' Conference; "Strut your mutt" Dog Walk; 10K Spit Run; Homer Yacht Club Regatta.

Juneau—Gold Rush Days.

Kenai—Kenai River Festival; Quilting on the Kenai.

Ketchikan—King Salmon Derby.

Kodiak—All American Soap Box Derby.

Moose Pass—Summer Solstice Festival.

Nenana—River Daze.

Ninilchik—Halibut Derby (through September).

Nome—Midnight Sun Festival; River Raft Race; Polar Bear Swim in Bering Sea; Folk Fest.

Palmer—Colony Days; Friday Fling; Summer Market (through August).

Pelican—King Salmon Derby.

Seldovia—Summer Solstice Music Festival.

Seward—Halibut Tournament.

Sitka—Summer Music Festival; Fine Arts Camp.

Skagway—Summer Solstice.

Unalaska—Solstice Run.

Valdez—Last Frontier Theatre Conference.

Whittier—Walk to Whittier.

July

Anchorage—Crow Pass Crossing; Arctic Valley Trail & Munchkin Run.

Anderson—Anderson Bluegrass Festival.

Chugiak/Eagle River—Bear Paw Festival.

Cordova—Wild Copper River Salmon Festival.

Dillingham—Salmon Bake; Military Appreciation Fishing Trip.

Fairbanks—Golden Days; Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival; Fairbanks Summer Fine Arts Camp; World Eskimo-Indian Olympics; Midnight Sun Intertribal Powwow; Mutt March.

Girdwood—Forest Faire.

Haines—Southeast Alaska State Fair; Bald Eagle Music Festival.

Homer—Homer Street Fair; Concert on the Lawn; Summer String Festival; Halibut Tournament.

Hope—Wagon Trail Run Weekend.

Ketchikan—Timber Carnival.

Kodiak—Bear-Foot in the Park Qintathalon; Salmonberry Festival; 50-Years Statehood Celebration Parade & Fireworks.

Ninilchik—Rodeo.

Naukati Bay—Skunk Cabbage Festival; Mud Bog Races.

Nome—Anvil Mountain Run; Poor Man's Paradise.

North Pole—Summer Festival and Parade; Santa Claus Half Marathon.

Palmer—Palmer Pride Picnic.

Petersburg—Canned Salmon Classic.

Seward—Mount Marathon Race.

Sitka—Island Institute's Sitka Symposium.

Skagway—Ducky Derby; International Softball Tournament; Soapy Smith's Wake.

Soldotna—Dog Show; Progress Days; Creek Celebration.

Sutton—Old Timer's Picnic.

Talkeetna—Moose Dropping Festival.

Thorne Bay—Prince of Wales Island Fair and Logging Show.

Unalaska—Mount Ballyhoo Run; Camp Quanagaayux (Unangan Culture Camp).

Valdez—Silver Salmon Derby (through September).

August

Anchorage—Greek Festival; 10K Classic Youth Relay; Big Wild Life Runs; Run for Your Life Kids Run; Slam'n Salm'n Derby; Galway Days on G Street.

Fairbanks—Tanana Valley State Fair; Tanana Valley Sandhill Crane Festival.

Girdwood—Alyeska Blueberry & Mountain Arts Festival.

Glennallen—Copper Valley Arts and Crafts Fair.

Homer—Homer Homes Tour.

Houston—Founders' Day.

Juneau—Golden North Salmon Derby.

Kenai—Silver Salmon Derby; 10K Run for Women.

Ketchikan—Blueberry Arts Festival; Gigglefeet Dance Festival; CHARR Summer Beer Festival; Pennock Island Swim Challenge.

Kodiak—Warm August Night Music Festival; Kids' Pink Salmon Jamboree; Pilgrimage to St. Herman's Monks Lagoon; Silver Salmon Derby.

Naukati Bay—Mud Bogg Races.

Nenana—Nenana Valley Fair.

Ninilchik—Kenai Peninsula State Fair.

Palmer—Alaska State Fair; Palmer Chamber State Fair Parade.

Seward—Silver Salmon Derby.

Skagway—Flower and Garden Show; Gamefish Derby.

Talkeetna—Bluegrass Festival.

Unalaska—Summer Bay Classic; Heart of the Aleutians Festival.

September

Anchorage—Alaska Airlines Autumn Classic; Tuesday Night Race Series (through October); Alaska Winter Recreation and Travel Show.

Big Lake—Fall Festival/Chili Cook-Off..

Chugiak/Eagle River—Annual Chamber Dinner; Auction & Wine Tasting.

Fairbanks—Equinox Marathon; Tanana Valley Potato Extravaganza.

Haines—Labor Day Weekend Mardi Gras Party.

Homer—National Estuaries Day.

Hope—Coeur d'Arlene Run/Walk.

Kenai—Lions Rubber Ducky Race.

Kodiak—State Fair and Rodeo.

Naukati Bay—Double Points Mud Bog Races.

Nome—Great Bathtub Race; Rubber Duck Race; Anvil Mountain 59 Minute 37 Second Challenge.

Seward—Blues Train.

Skagway—Klondike Road Relay.

Soldotna—Labor Day Picnic.

Unalaska—Blueberry Bash; Salmonberry Jam Music Festival; Island Marathon.

Whittier—Silver Salmon Derby; "Small Fry" Silver Salmon Derby.

October

Anchorage—Make it Alaska Festival; Nye Frontier Hockey Classic; Halloween Family Concert; AlaskaFest.

Anchor Point—Fall Fun Festival.

Delta Junction—Halloween Bash.

Fairbanks—International Sled Dog Symposium; International Friendship Day; Cham Fashional.

Homer—National Wildlife Refuge Week.

Kenai—Chamber of Commerce Wine Tasting.

Ketchikan—Alaska Day Auction.

Kodiak—National Wildlife Refuge Week; Oktoberfest.

Petersburg—Oktoberfest Artshare; Humpy 500 Go-Cart Race; Devil's Thumb Brew Fest & Chili Feed.

Sitka—Alaska Day Festival.

Skagway—Southeast Alaska Quilt Retreat.

Soldotna—Pie Auction.

Unalaska—Halloween Fair.

Valdez—Oktoberfest.

Wasilla—Wasilla Chamber "Murder on the Alaska Railroad" Excursion.

November

Anchorage—Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout Basketball Tournament; Christmas Arts & Crafts Emporium; Crafts Weekend and ReadAlaska Book Fair.

Anchor Point—Holiday Happenings Craft Fair.

Fairbanks—Athabascan Fiddlers' Festival; BP Top of the World Classic; Yukon Title Cash Spiel, Rookie Spiel.

Haines—Bald Eagle Festival.

Homer—Putting on the Ritz.

Juneau—Public Market.

Kenai—Christmas Comes to Kenai (parade and fireworks); Bazaar Art Show.

Ketchikan—Winter Arts Faire.

Kodiak—Community Craft & Art Bazaar.

Petersburg—Festival of Lights.

Sitka—Whalefest; Native American Heritage Festival.

Soldotna—Craft Bazaars.

Unalaska—Turkey Trot 3K/5K Race; Aleutian Arts Council Holiday Crafts Fair.

Valdez—Christmas Tree Lighting.

December

Anchorage—New Year's Fire and Ice Extravaganza; Anchorage Folk Festival; Family Skate at Westchester Lagoon (through February).

Barrow—Qitik Games.

Big Lake—Tour of Lights.

Chugiak/Eagle River—Merry Merchant Munch; Community Tree Lighting.

Cordova—Christmas Tree Lighting; Bidarki Christmas Bazaar.

Delta Junction—Holiday Decorating Contest; Children's Christmas Coloring Contest; Christmas Bazaar.

Fairbanks—Winter Solstice Celebration; "Sing-It-Yourself Messiah";Ivory Jack's Invitational Golf Tournament.

Girdwood—Alyeska New Year's Eve Torchlight Parade and Fireworks Display.

Homer—The Nutcracker Ballet Performance and Craft Fair.

Juneau—Gallery Walk.

Ketchikan—Winter Art Walk; Winterfest.

Kodiak—Currier and Ives Old Fashioned Christmas.

Nome—Community Craft Bazaars; Firemen's Carnival.

North Pole—Candle and Lighting Ceremonies; Winter Festival.

Palmer—Colony Christmas Celebration and Parade of Lights; Triathlon and Crafts Fair.

Petersburg—Julebukking.

Seward—Holiday Train; Arts & Crafts Fair.

Skagway—Yuletide Celebration; Santa Train.

Soldotna—Tree Lighting Ceremony.

Talkeetna—Bachelor Society Ball and Wilderness Women Contest; Winterfest.

Unalaska—Firefighter's Ball; Community Christmas Cantata; New Year's Eve Fireworks.

Valdez—Ladies Annual Christmas Tea; Emblem Christmas Bazaar.

Willow—Holiday Dinner.

Wrangell—Midnight Madness and Christmas Tree Lighting.