Events in
nearby communities within easy driving distance.
Note dates; we have only just begun
to update.
To shorten download time, we've split
the calendar by quarters, and certain events have been moved to their own
pages, leaving only annual highlights from them on this page. Major event highlights
are still here. Not all events have been updated;
be sure to notice dates, and use phone numbers supplied if out of date. You can
highlight what you want and just print your selection, or print all.
University of Alaska Events are so
numerous (especially in summer) that we are now referring you to their calendar.
Go to their website
and click on the event tab. Choose your month.
Free Films & Events, Alaska Public Lands
(in Courthouse Square, downtown. Suite 1A, 250 Cushman St.
More information: 456-0527 or 456-0532 TTD.)
We have removed the dates, but left a list of just a few of the films they have, to
give you an idea of the variety. Contact them for the latest viewing
schedule, which in the past has been noon and 2 p.m. They show films year 'round.
Alaska Portrait (40 min)
Angling
Alaska: Ice Fishing for Rainbow Trout
(30 min)
A Pioneer Family in Alaska (40 min)
At the Time of Whaling (40
min)
Chain
of Life: The Aleutian Islands (30 min)
Cranes
of the Grey Wind (50 min)
Humpback
Whales (60 min)
Land of the Eagle: The First and Last Frontier (60
min)
Loons of Amisk (15 min)
Nanook of the North (55 min)
One Man’s Alaska (25 min)
Return of the King (30 min)
Season of the Sled Dog (60 min)
The
Bear Stands Up (30 min)
Winning
the Avalanche Game (60 min)
Women of the Alaska Territory: An Oral History (25
min)
Yukon
Passage (60 min)
Yukon
Quest: Challenge of the North (50 min)
CLOSED Sunday and
Monday, OPEN Tuesday-Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm.
Santa's
Garden Market in North Pole. Locally grown
produce & crafts. Hours 3 p.m.-7 p.m. Fridays only throughout summner and fall.
Carr's-Key Bank parking lot. Information (907) 488-2242.
Golden
Heart Revue (5/19-9/13/02) Season opening at Palace
Theatre & Saloon, Alaskaland. Shows daily at 6:30 & 8:15 p.m. through
9/13/02. $12 adults with Alaska driver's license, otherwise
$14. $7 for children under 12. Reservations:
(907) 452-7274.
"Service with a Smile"
(5/28-9/6/06
(these are 2004 dates, their website is not up to date) Malamute Saloon in Ester Gold Camp.
Performed nightly by professional cast and featuring poetry of
Robert Service, the "Bard of the North." Shows
daily 9 p.m. 7 p.m. showing added in July for Wednesdays through
Saturdays. $15 adults (may have a discount for those with an Alaska driver's license),
children $7:50. Reservations: (907) 479-2500. http://www.akvisit.com/malemute.html.
"Crown of Lights
Northern Lights Show" (5/28-9/6/06 (these are 2004 dates, their website is not up to date) at Malamute Saloon in Ester Gold Camp.
This is a special-effects slide show featuring photos of the northern
lights set to symphonic music. Shows daily 6:45
& 7:45 p.m. $8 adults and $4 children 3-12. Reservations: (907) 479-2500.
http://www.akvisit.com/ester.html.
North Pole
Summer Festival & Parade (7/7/07)
Always the first Saturday in July. Begins
at 10 a.m. till 5 p.m. at Santa Claus House. Parade begins at noon
throughout North Pole. Reviewing stands at Santa Claus House. Lots of prizes,
barbecue, ice cream, local entertainment. Entry forms at North Pole
City Hall. Their open-air festival features local craft, game, and food
booths and kiddie rides. Information: (907) 488-2242.
"Winter,"
(6/1-8/31/07), 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. daily in the Arnold Espe Auditorium,
UAF Museum of the North. $7 general admission; group and youth discounts may
apply. Offered for the first time in 2007, "Winter" gives visitors
insight into our longest season. Learn about the season's natural phenomena,
adaptations to life in the cold and the activities that sustain Alaskans
through winter into spring.(907) 474-7505.
"Dynamic Aurora" 6/1/04-8/31/07) 10 a.m. and
2 p.m. daily in the Arnold Espe Auditorium. $7 general admission;
group and youth discounts may apply. Dynamic Aurora captures the
beauty of northern lights and explains this high-latitude phenomena
from scientific and cultural perspectives. The 50-minute multimedia
presentation features high-speed video, digital animations and
hands-on demonstrations. Presented in partnership with the UAF
Geophysical Institute. This is also now presented in the winter, at
11 a.m. and 3 p.m. daily. (907) 474-7505.
Eagle Centennial
Celebration (TBA). Commemorates arrival of
pioneer businessmen in this Yukon River village.
The Taming of the Shrew
by William Shakespeare (7/2-20/08) Nothing’s tame about this Shrew! Not when
an adventurous rogue desperately needs a fortune, but his only choice is to
wed a wild-eyed virago; a willful beauty works like a slave, but her
devilishly angelic sister gets all the credit; a ridiculous, but wealthy,
old man struggles to marry the luscious daughter of the town’s beleaguered
leading merchant; a teasing minx toys over choosing just one of oh-so-many
delectable men; and a lovesick youth is forced to masquerade as someone else
to get a girl to fall in love with him. It’s enough to drive you mad with
glee! Shakespeare’s irresistible romp is a riotous, passionate and tender
tale that turns the battle of the sexes into rip-roaring good fun. "The
Taming of the Shrew" is sure to scream, fight, and woo its way into your
heart, July 2008!
Nenana's 4th of July
Celebration (7/4/08) Family events like races, music, pie-eating contests, crafts, food, and an
adults' evening street dance. Take the Park's Highway to Nenana.
July 4th Celebration
(7/4/08) All day at Pioneer Park. Community celebration including
food, family activities, craft bazaar, entertainment, military
colors ceremony, Air Force fly-over, and much more. (907) 459-1087
http://www.co.fairbanks.ak.us/parks&rec/pioneerpark
North Pole 4th of July Celebration
(7/4/07) All day in North Pole. North Pole Community Summer
Festival and Fourth of July Celebration. Festivities include
entertainment, food, activities and a parade. Other
activities-Mayor's Picnic, kid's fishing derby, and 5th Avenue Block
Party. (907) 488-2242 http.
Fairbanks Preservation
Society 4th of July Celebration (7/4/08) at Pioneer Park. Lots of
free fun for the whole family.
Garden Faire (7/19/08) 11 to 7 p.m. UAF West Tanana Drive.
Sponsored by the Georgeson Botanical Garden Society, the faire will
include the Quilt Show (see next event) and an Art Show. Opportunities for
vendors to sell artwork and crafts, and to sponsor educational activites.
Children's activities. Garden
experts will be on hand to answer questions. This is a fundraiser to
help finish the roof of the James Drew Ampitheatre. For further information
about the event, contact (907) 451-8478.
"QuiltAlaska
2008" Quilt Show (7/19/08)
Cabin Fever Quilters Guild biennial
exhibition of traditional and contemporary quilted items. Alaskaland
Civic Center Bear Gallery (third floor, elevators available).
The
items are made by Interior Alaskans and/or members of the
Fairbanks' Cabin Fever Quilters Guild. It is a non-competitive show sponsored by the Cabin Fever
Quilters Guild and Fairbanks Arts Assoc. (907) 456-6485.
Watch for the above again in
2010. It is a biennial event, last held in 2006.
Midnight Sun Intertribal Powwow
(7/13-15/07) Location TBA. Alaska Natives, American Indians and
Canada's First Nation peoples share their heritage.
http://www.midmightsunpowwow.net.
2nd Annual WEIO Pre-game Banquet
(7/15/06)
Their major fundraising event will be held in the Westmark
Gold Room. Reception is 5:30-6:30, table seating begins at 6:30 p. m.,
and dinner is at 7:00 p. m.. The evening’s events will consist of a
sneak peak of the Queen Contestants, guest speakers, dance group
presentation, athletic demonstrations, and door prizes! Seating is
limited so purchase your tickets early. Ticket Prices: $40.00 Per
Person/ $375.00 Per Table seats 10. (907) 452-6646
Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival (7/15-29/07) a
study-performance Festival held annually on the beautiful University of Alaska
Fairbanks Campus. See full 2007 schedule in their arts calendar.
The Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival is a unique two week study and performance
festival with classes for all levels of expertise in Dance, Vocal,
Instrumental Music, Opera Theatre, Theatre, Musical Theatre, Storytelling, Ice
skating, Visual Arts, Healing Arts, and Creative Writing. with over 90 local
and national guest artists. Visit
www.fsaf.org or call 907-474-8869 for further information. e-mail
is festival@alaska.net.
World Eskimo-Indian
Olympics (7/18-21/07). Natives from Alaska, Pacific Northwest & Canada gather to compete in
traditional athletic competitions, games and dances. Go
here for the
2006 schedule. In 2005, the Olympics opened at 6 p.m. with
the Race of the Torch, a 5-kilometer road race. Male and female winners earn the honor of
lighting the WEIO torch. There are events scheduled all day Wednesday through
Saturday, free to the public. There
is
a charge for evening events, which includes a potlatch.
Traditional Native dancers perform throughout the games and each night.
In 2006 the location is the Carlson Center. Phone: (907) 452-6646 e-mail: weio@weio.org
This is a major event, reserve rooms early if
you plan to be in Fairbanks this week. (907) 452-6646.
Golden Days
Celebration- (7/18-22/07).
Annual city-wide celebration of the discovery of gold in Fairbanks in 1902.
A week of activities culminate in the state's largest parade.
Included are activities for "sourdoughs" as well as first-time
visitors. Lots of events are scheduled for
Golden Days, click to see special page for schedule. (907)
452-1105. .
http://www.fairbankschamber.org Phone (907) 452-1105 or you can e-mail:
goldendays@fairbankschamber.org
WARNING: Accommodations are at a premium during the above
period - early reservations are strongly advised!
Debbie Miller (7/18/07)
Discovering Alaska - A Summer Lecture Series: Debbie Miller, former
teacher and author of both children's and adult books, discusses her
work as a naturalist and environmental writer. Series presented by UAF
Summer Sessions and the Northern Alaska Environmental Center's
Northern Voices Program, in cooperation with the UAF Center for
Research Services, the International Arctic Research Center, and the
University of Alaska Geography Program. Admission is free.
Felix Pedro Golden Days
Weigh-In (7/20/05) This is a 6:00 p.m. re-enactment of Felix Pedro's ride into town
after discovering gold near Fox on July 22, 1902. In the past, the Pedro look-alike chosen at the
kick-off party left downtown with his poke in the morning and led his mule down Cushman Street,
across the bridge to Denali State Bank, and their was usually a
robbery on his way. Now, the event begins as Pedro leads his burro
through the Goldrush Town in Pioneer Park, ending at Denali Bank.. (907) 452-1105
Golden Days Street Fair
(7/22/06) 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Downtown Fairbanks. Visit a wide variety
of unique vendors and enjoy a fun-filled day in the heart of our
great city. This street fair includes something for everyone – enjoy
great food for sale by a variety of vendors, music to suite all
tastes, entertainment, demonstrations, arts and crafts, dunk tank,
bungee trampoline, games for the kids and much, much more!
Golden Days Grand
Parade (7/22/06) Largest parade in Interior, it is the culmination of
Golden Days, over 90 entries expected, the route starts at Fort Wainwright
at 10 a.m. and winds through
downtown, ending up at Alaskaland. (907)
452-1105
Golden Days Rubber
Duckie Race (7/22/06) At 2:30, 6,000 numbered rubber ducks race down the Chena from
the Wendell Street Bridge to the finish line at Golden Heart Plaza downtown to win cash
and prizes for the lucky person(s) who bought their matching ticket. (907) 452-1105
See our Golden Days Calendar for the prizes!
Children's
Golden Days Parade (7/23/06) Children (dressed in their favorite costumes)
parade around Pioneer Park. Prizes are awarded. (907)
452-1105.
Todd Sherman (7/25/07)
Discovering Alaska - A Summer Lecture Series: Todd Sherman, artist and teacher,
will share images created by field artists that were inspired by the wilds of
Alaska. Series presented by UAF Summer Sessions and the Northern Alaska
Environmental Center's Northern Voices Program, in cooperation with the UAF
Center for Research Services, the International Arctic Research Center, and the
University of Alaska Geography Program. Admission is free.
14th Annual
Anderson Bluegrass/Country Music Festival (7/26-28/02) Performers from Fairbanks and Anchorage
return each year to join the headliners from the Lower 49. Held in Anderson
(Parks Highway Mile 283.5, watch for signs) (907) 338-3743.
Usually sponsored by the Anderson-Clear Lions Club.
Deltana Fair (7/26-29/02)
Visitors and locals join in Delta Junction to enjoy amusement park rides, crafts, competitive exhibits, a
horse show and a rodeo. (907) 895-5063 or (907) 895-5068o.
University of Alaska Events are so numerous
(especially in summer) that we are now referring you to their calendar. Go to
their website and
click on the event tab. Choose your month.
Free Films & Events, Alaska Public Lands (in Courthouse Square, downtown. Suite 1A, 250 Cushman St.
More information: 456-0527 or 456-0532 TTD.)
We have removed the dates, but left a list of just a few of the films they have, to
give you an idea of the variety. Contact them for the latest viewing
schedule, which in the past has been noon and 2 p.m. They show films year 'round.
Alaska Portrait (40 min)
Angling
Alaska: Ice Fishing for Rainbow Trout
(30 min)
A Pioneer Family in Alaska (40 min)
At the Time of Whaling (40
min)
Chain
of Life: The Aleutian Islands (30 min)
Cranes
of the Grey Wind (50 min)
Humpback
Whales (60 min)
Land of the Eagle: The First and Last Frontier (60
min)
Loons of Amisk (15 min)
Nanook of the North (55 min)
One Man’s Alaska (25 min)
Return of the King (30 min)
Season of the Sled Dog (60 min)
The
Bear Stands Up (30 min)
Winning
the Avalanche Game (60 min)
Women of the Alaska Territory: An Oral History (25
min)
Yukon
Passage (60 min) Yukon
Quest: Challenge of the North (50 min)
CLOSED Sunday and
Monday, OPEN Tuesday-Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm.
Golden
Heart Revue(5/19-9/13/06) Season opening at Palace
Theatre & Saloon, Alaskaland. Shows daily at 6:30 & 8:15 p.m. through
9/13/02. $12 adults with Alaska driver's license, otherwise
$14. $7 for children under 12. Reservations:
(907) 452-7274.
"Service with a Smile" (5/24-9/2/06)
at Malemute Saloon in Ester Gold Camp.
Performed nightly by professional cast and featuring poetry of
Robert Service, the "Bard of the North." Shows
daily 9 p.m. 7 p.m. showing added in July for Wednesdays through
Saturdays. $14 adults, $7 for children under 12. Reservations: (907) 479-2500.
Crown of Lights
Northern Lights Show(5/24-9/2/06) at the Firehouse Theatre in
Ester. Shows daily 6:45
& 7:45 p.m. Reservations: Adults $8, Children 3-12 $4 (907) 479-2500.
This is a special-effects slide show featuring photos of the northern lights
set to symphonic music.
Santa's
Garden Market in North Pole. Locally grown
produce & crafts. Hours 3 p.m.-7 p.m. Fridays only throughout summner and fall.
Carr's-Key Bank parking lot. Information (907) 488-2242.
Daily Bird Banding Presentations
10 a.m., 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. (weather permitting), Alaska Bird
Observatory at Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge. Maps available at Creamer's Trailhead. Donations requested. Groups of five or more should
call ahead to schedule a visit. (907) 451-7059.
"Winter,"
(6/1-8/31/07), 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. daily in the Arnold Espe Auditorium, UAF
Museum of the North. $7 general admission; group and youth discounts may
apply. Offered for the first time in 2007, "Winter" gives visitors
insight into our longest season. Learn about the season's natural phenomena,
adaptations to life in the cold and the activities that sustain Alaskans
through winter into spring.(907) 474-7505.
"Dynamic Aurora"
6/1/04-8/31/07) 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily in the Arnold Espe
Auditorium. $7 general admission; group and youth discounts may apply. Dynamic
Aurora captures the beauty of northern lights and explains this high-latitude
phenomena from scientific and cultural perspectives. The 50-minute multimedia
presentation features high-speed video, digital animations and hands-on
demonstrations. Presented in partnership with the UAF Geophysical Institute.
This is also now presented in the winter, at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. daily. (907) 474-7505.
Ned Rozell (8/1/07) Discovering Alaska -
A Summer Lecture Series: Ned Rozell, Fairbanks author and adventurer, writes a
popular science column and is the author of Walking My Dog Jane: From Valdez to
Prudhoe Bay along the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. Series presented by UAF Summer
Sessions and the Northern Alaska Environmental Center's Northern Voices Program,
in cooperation with the UAF Center for Research Services, the International
Arctic Research Center, and the University of Alaska Geography Program.
Tanana Valley State
Fair-Fairbanks (8/3-11/07) Alaska's oldest fair features
giant cabbages, competitive exhibits, a rodeo, motorcross,
demonstrations, arts & crafts, carnival rides, contests,
fireworks (first Friday and last Saturday at 11 p.m.) and other
entertainment. Over
300 concessionaires are expected to participate. This year's theme: "Faster
Than a Speeding Pullet". (907) 451-5553 or (907) 451-5569. More information on our fair page.
Their page is
http://www.tananavalleyfair.org.
Warning: This is another period when
accommodations will be tight - plan ahead!
Talkeetna Bluegrass Festival (8/7-19/03)
Sorry, their website has not been updated since
2003, so we cannot get the latest dates, although we believe it is still an
annual event. Billed as Alaska's Greatest Campout. Four days of music and
parties, under the never-dark summer skies of Alaska. Bands play
20 out of 24 hours for four days. Five showers have been added and fresh
drinking water is available.
Located at Mile 102 Parks Highway. Tickets: $35 for four-day parking,
camping and music pass; $10 for Sunday only parking and music; free for ages
65 and older and children under 12. Visit their website for more information, or call
(907) 495-6718 (Olive) or (907) 488-1372 (Ernie or Gia)
Fourth Annual Fairbanks Bluegrass Camp for Kids
(8/7-10/07) Offered by Fairbanks Folk Fest, with
Bearfoot Bluegrass
Band and local Fairbanks volunteers as music instructors. It’s a fun-filled
four days. Visit the Folk Fest
website for more information.
Tours of Poker Flat Research Range
(8/8/06)
This tour takes place at 1:30 p.m. 33 miles northeast of Fairbanks, on the
Steese Highway. Follow link for more information, or call 474-7558.
Susan Grace (8/8/07)
Discovering Alaska - A Summer Lecture Series: Susan Grace, veteran
singer/songwriter, will talk about the power of music to educate, inspire, and
move people to take action and resolve conflict. Series presented by UAF Summer
Sessions and the Northern Alaska Environmental Center's Northern Voices Program,
in cooperation with the UAF Center for Research Services, the International
Arctic Research Center, and the University of Alaska Geography Program.
Admission is free.
Alaska International Senior Games
(8/10-19/07) Olympic games for the young at heart! Athletes 50 years
and better participate in games ranging from archery, basketball, bowling,
cycling, fly casting, golf, horseshoes, mountain biking, race walk,
racquetball, road race, softball, swimming, table tennis, track & field,
trap shooting, volleyball and leisure and novelty games.
www.alaskaig.org
Mike Sfraga (8/15/07)
Discovering Alaska - A Summer Lecture Series: Mike Sfraga, geographer, educator,
and author of Bradford Washburn, A Life of Exploration will pay tribute to
mountaineer/explorer, Bradford Washburn, in his lecture. Series presented by UAF
Summer Sessions and the Northern Alaska Environmental Center's Northern Voices
Program, in cooperation with the UAF Center for Research Services, the
International Arctic Research Center, and the University of Alaska Geography
Program. Admission is free.
1st Annual North Pole Contemporary
Christian Music Festival (8/19/07) Come rain or shine the 1st Annual
North Pole Contemporary Christian Music Festival will take place on Saturday,
August 19th from 2:00 - 8:00 p.m. at Lord of Life Lutheran Church located at
1005 St. Nicholas Dr. Bring your lawn chair and enjoy the music food and fun.
For more information you can contact Carol at 488-3390, Michelle at 488-4610 or
Ranae at 388-5308.
Tours of Poker Flat Research Range
(8/22/06)
This tour takes place at 1:30 p.m. 33 miles northeast of Fairbanks, on the Steese Highway. Follow link for more information, or call 474-7558.
Tanana Valley Sandhill Crane
Festival (8/24-27/07) at Creamer's Field. For schedule of events, call Creamer's Farmhouse Visitor Center at 459-7307, Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., or Saturday, 10 a.m.-4
p.m. The festival includes talks, bird watching, nature walks,
workshops and many other related activities with ample opportunities for
observing Cranes and other fall migrants. A current year
festival schedule
is available in July. The schedule includes information on observing
Sandhill Cranes throughout the Tanana Valley. Information also by calling 452-5162. Sponsored by Friends of Creamer's Field, Alaska Bird Observatory and
Arctic Audubon Society.
University of Alaska Events are so numerous
(especially in summer) that we are now referring you to their calendar. Go to
their website and
click on the event tab. Choose your month.
Free Films & Events, Alaska Public Lands
(in Courthouse Square, downtown. Suite 1A, 250 Cushman St.
More information: 456-0527 or 456-0532 TTD.)
We have removed the dates, but left a list of just a few of the films they have, to
give you an idea of the variety. Contact them for the latest viewing
schedule, which in the past has been noon and 2 p.m. They show films year 'round.
Alaska Portrait (40 min)
Angling
Alaska: Ice Fishing for Rainbow Trout
(30 min)
A Pioneer Family in Alaska (40 min)
At the Time of Whaling (40
min)
Chain
of Life: The Aleutian Islands (30 min)
Cranes
of the Grey Wind (50 min)
Humpback
Whales (60 min)
Land of the Eagle: The First and Last Frontier (60
min)
Loons of Amisk (15 min)
Nanook of the North (55 min)
One Man’s Alaska (25 min)
Return of the King (30 min)
Season of the Sled Dog (60 min)
The
Bear Stands Up (30 min)
Winning
the Avalanche Game (60 min)
Women of the Alaska Territory: An Oral History (25
min)
Yukon
Passage (60 min)
Yukon
Quest: Challenge of the North (50 min)
CLOSED Sunday and
Monday, OPEN Tuesday-Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm.
Golden
Heart Revue (5/19-9/13/06) Season opening at Palace
Theatre & Saloon, Alaskaland. Shows daily at 6:30 & 8:15 p.m. through
9/13/02. $12 adults with Alaska driver's license, otherwise
$14. $7 for children under 12. Reservations:
(907) 452-7274.
"Service with a Smile" (5/24-9/2/06)
at Malemute Saloon in Ester Gold Camp.
Performed nightly by professional cast and featuring poetry of
Robert Service, the "Bard of the North." Shows
daily 9 p.m. 7 p.m. showing added in July for Wednesdays through
Saturdays. $14 adults, $7 for children under 12. Reservations: (907) 479-2500.
Crown of Lights
Northern Lights Show (5/24-9/2/06) at the Firehouse Theatre in
Ester. Shows daily 6:45
& 7:45 p.m. Reservations: Adults $8, Children 3-12 $4 (907) 479-2500.
This is a special-effects slide show featuring photos of the northern lights
set to symphonic music.
Local Candidate's Forum
sponsored by the
Interior Taxpayers' Association. Free. The public is welcome,
7 p.m. Includes candidates for Borough Assembly and City Council. Held in
the Borough Assembly Chambers in the Borough
Building near the News-Miner on North Cushman. September is a political month.
41st Annual Equinox Marathon (9/15/07) 8
a.m., UAF Patty Center. 26.2 miles. This second
hardest marathon in the U.S., attracts top runners from around the country. Also featuring a 3-person
relay team option, it is a tough, hilly marathon and relay race that takes racers over
wooded trails, sometimes through mud or snow. (907) 452-8351.
http://www.equinoxmarathon.org
[Equinox runners meet
their first hill. Photo courtesy of Julie Coghill.]
Cabin Fever Quilters Guild biennial
exhibition of traditional and contemporary quilted items. Alaskaland
Civic Center Bear Gallery (third floor, elevators available). 
Also featuring a 3-person
relay team option, it is a tough, hilly marathon and relay race that takes racers over
wooded trails, sometimes through mud or snow. (907) 452-8351.
