Fairbanks

The New Year is well under way and as we begin 2012, perhaps enjoying activities, entertainment and adventures in the Interior is a good place to start with a fresh set of travel resolutions. Whether it be art or sport, summer or winter, entertainment or relaxation—let us help you plan your next authentic Alaska experience.

With over 450 volunteers and 70 teams of artists from all over the globe the BP World Ice Art Championships is celebrating 23 years of world-class ice art. Now in a new location Ice Alaska offers a month’s worth of entertainment for the entire family. The ice park opened February 28, 2012 at 10 am and stays open daily from 10 am – 10 pm until March 25, 2012.

Each year the small community of Paxson, Alaska swells from an average of 39 residents to over 10,000! The energy is palpable on Summit Lake during the annual Arctic Man Ski and Sno-Go Classic. The snowmobile engines hum as a rider awaits their skier after a 1,700 foot drop from 5,800 feet in less than two miles. On-the-go the skier connects with the rider via a tow rope and speeds back up the mountain at speeds reaching 86 miles per hour. It is Alaska grit and savvy at its finest.

Interior runners, novice and pro alike, start out the summer with a quick 5-kilometer family fun run skirting the Chena River during the annual Chena River Run. The Alaska summer provides plenty of running fun for residents and visitors.

During the summer months the midnight sun hovers over the Interior illuminating our activities deep into the night. The Midnight Sun Festival celebrates the solstice with an all-day event in downtown Fairbanks. 1^st, 2^ndand 3^rd Avenues are closed to motorized traffic and pedestrians can fully enjoy over 180 arts, crafts, information and food booths. The fun starts at 12 pm June 24, 2012 and doesn’t end until the clock strikes midnight. (The festivities may be over, but the sun will still be shining.)

The American Bus Association selected Golden Days as a Top 100 Events in North America. Golden Days is a celebration of the vibrant gold history of the Interior and an opportunity for Fairbanks to enjoy community-wide events. The 60^thAnnual Golden Days begins July 18, 2012 with events including Alaska’s largest parade, historic reenactments and the Red Green River Regatta. 

When the air turns crisp and the leaves transform into brilliant hues of yellow, red and gold Fairbanks’ elite runners take to the rolling hills of west Fairbanks to compete in the annual Equinox Marathon. The 26.2 mile course starts and ends at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and is a long autumn tradition for Fairbanks residents and visitors. Whether you’re elite or not, the course offers top-notch views of Fairbanks and the surrounding Alaska Range.

To cap off the year, the Winter Solstice Celebration harkens all to enjoy sleigh rides, caroling and the Chena River riverfront lighting. Downtown Fairbanks is aglow with holiday spirit and plenty of shopping for the occasion. (It may not be a winter wonderland, but you’ll enjoy the wonders of this great land.)

These are just a few of the many activities and festivities that happen annually here in the Interior. Let the resolving begin to make Fairbanks your destination of choice for year-round fun.