Guest Author - Kimi Ross

When the weather turns colder and the days get shorter, Alaskans don’t stop enjoying the great outdoors. As the following list demonstrates, there is plenty to do in the winter months.

October

Oktoberfest, Anchorage. A celebration of German food, music, and of course, beer – including several Alaskan brews.

Alaska Day Festival, Sitka This festival commemorates the 1867 purchase of Alaska from Russia. Traditional events include a costume ball, a variety of musical performances, and a parade.

November

Alaska Bald Eagle Festival, Haines. Thousands of bald eagles gather annually on the banks of the Chilkat River to feed on a late run of salmon. Workshops, guided viewing tours, and a variety of other activities are available to festival participants.

December

Holiday Train, Anchorage to Seward. This special trip provided by the Alaska Railroad includes caroling, a visit from Santa, and of course, scenic views on the railroad from Anchorage to Seward. One might enjoy the Seward Holiday Festival before returning to Anchorage on the train.

Winterfest, Talkeetna. This festival includes the popular The Bachelor Auction and Ball as well as the Wilderness Woman Contest, in which women compete in events such as providing beer and a sandwich to a waiting bachelor, carrying 5 gallon buckets of water in full winter gear, and starting a fire.

January

Polar Bear Jump Off Festival, Seward. Third weekend of January. The highlight of this festival is the “plunge”: sponsored individuals (sometimes in teams) jump into the icy waters of Resurrection Bay to benefit the American Cancer Society. Of course, there are activities that don’t require one to get wet and cold, too! These include a parade, seafood feed, oyster slurping contest, children’s carnival and more. A popular annual event for a good cause.

Anchorage Folk Festival. Anchorage. This annual event brings singers, dancers and storytellers from throughout Alaska and Outside to Anchorage. Traditional and original material in a variety of styles is performed. Concerts and workshops are open to the public and FREE.

February

Ice Worm Festival, Cordova. First weekend in February. Started in 1961, the Iceworm Festival celebrates Cordova and its residents and is an antidote to the long dark days of winter. Activities include a parade, survival suit race, variety show, basketball tournament, auction, and more.

Fur Rondy, Anchorage. A ten day rendezvous with a rich history going back to Territorial Days. Activities include the World Championship Sled Dog Races, Snowshoe Softball, Frostbite Footrace, dances, auctions, carnival rides and more. It is the largest winter festival in Alaska and a great celebration of the beginning of winter’s end. The 2008 Fur Rondy will include the first ever Running of the Reindeer.

March

Iditarod, Anchorage to Nome. Known as “The Last Great Race,”, the Iditarod is perhaps the most widely known Alaska event, attracting visitors and competitors from around the world. On the first Saturday of every March, mushers guide their enthusiastic dog teams through downtown Anchorage for the ceremonial start. The race officially begins the following day with a restart from Wasilla or Willow (depending on trail conditions). The 1100 mile race passes through rugged country on the historic Iditarod Trail, which was first scouted in 1908 as an overland route from Seward to Nome.

World Ice Art Championships, Fairbanks. This is one of the largest international ice sculpture competitions and exhibitions, attracting over a hundred ice sculptors from around the world. These pieces are on display until the end of March. There is also a Kids Ice Park full of slides, tunnels and mazes – all made of ice!

April

Alaska Folk Festival, Juneau. A one week festival of music, dances and workshops. This volunteer operated event is open to the public and free.

Arctic Man Ski and Sno-go Classic, Summit Lake. This unique Alaskan event combines downhill skiing with snow mobile racing. Teams consisting of one skier and one snow machine driver complete a course that involves the skier racing down a summit, meeting his snowmachine-riding partner and grabbing a tow rope (on the move) to race over two miles up the next summit at speeds over 80 mph, before skiing down the other side of the mountain to the finish line. Spectators from all over the US throng to this event, held in breathtakingly beautiful country during the long mild days of early spring.