Anchorage Event Guide

Every year, Anchorage, Alaska is home to a number of high profile, world class events that draw people from all over the globe. Many of these events are directly related to the cultural and historical significance of the one-time little outpost in the north.

The first of the many events that takes place each year is the annual Fur Rondy or Anchorage Fur Rendezvous. The Rendezvous takes place each year from February 26th to March 7th and consists of more than 120 unique activities taking place throughout the city. The event started back in the early 1900s when the miners and fur trappers would return from the wilderness to trade their goods and compete in a number of high octane games to show off their survival skills. These contests included things like the longest, best, or finest foxes. Today, the Anchorage Fur Rendezvous consists of events like fireworks, Blanket tossing, sled dog racing, and dance festivals among dozens more.

Probably the most famous of all Anchorage events is the Iditarod – the annual dog racing event that starts in Anchorage on March 6th. The event lasts for two weeks and takes mushers and their teams on a more than 1,000 mile trek to Nome, Alaska, re-enacting a famous run to deliver medicine for a Diphtheria stricken town. The event is completely free to watch at various checkpoints and in Anchorage when it starts, and costs $4,000 to enter. The Iditarod is considered one of the last true tests of endurance on the planet, and consists of the most fundamental of survival skills on the way to Nome. There are more than twenty checkpoints along the way and bush planes spend the two week race bringing in supplies and rescuing hurt riders and animals along the route.

The Saturday Market in Downtown Anchorage starts each May and lasts through until September at the parking lot between 3rd and E Streets. The event has been held for decades and features local crafts, clothing, plants, imported goods, and entertainment from throughout central Alaska. A wide array of events held at the Alaska Native Heritage center each year draws visitors from around the world. The Heritage Center is open between May and September annually and costs $24.95 for admission. Events there are designed to showcase the cultural heritage and beliefs of the indigenous peoples of Alaska. Singing, dancing, crafts, and ceremonies or performed and displayed regularly each year.

Another very popular event held each year in July is the Bear Paw Festival. The event is five days long and includes a wide array of family oriented activities such as the Teddy Bear Picnic, Miss Bear Paw Pageant, and Family Fun Day. The event also showcases a classic car show, the tri-bear-a-thon, and the Slippery Salmon Olympics. There are also a number of standard events like cook offs, dog shows, and pet tricks. There is also a parade on the weekend of the festival – the largest in Alaska each year. Anchorage’s wide array of annual events makes it a hot spot not only for those living in Alaska, but anyone seeking an exciting vacation in a beautiful, naturally and culturally rich environment.