Story last updated at 7/13/2010 - 3:52 pm
July
Home Skillet Music Festival, Sitka, July 14-18. Five-day music festival brings a very eclectic group of musicians from all over the country to Sitka. This is the fifth year of the annual event. Details: www.homeskilletfest.com.
Wrangell Bear Fest, July 21-25. This is the first year of the festival celebrating bears of Alaska, and Wrangell anticipates many visitors. The festival will include presentations, music, films, games, a marathon and much more! Visit http://www.alaskabearfest.org/ for more details, or contact Glenna Ellis at sunflowersinalaska@hotmail.com, P.O. Box 696, Wrangell, AK 99929 or 470-3696.
Kake Dog Salmon Festival, July 24. 16th annual festival welcoming old and new "chums" to Kake for a full day of festivities for all ages, including the Great Challenge of the Chums canoe race. Roundtrip catamaran tickets are available for $120 from Juneau (depart 6 a.m., return 10:30 p.m.) and Sitka (depart 5 a.m., return 10:30 p.m.). For tickets and more infomration: In Juneau contact Carmel James at 723-4576 or Geraldine Willis at 957-6222. In Sitka contact Kendall Jackson at 738-3083 or Fran Baratki at 738-2028.
Southeast Alaska State Fair, Haines, July 29-August 1. The theme for the 2010 Southeast Alaska State Fair is "Magic Happens at the Fair." The four-day event features athletic and music contests, great food booths, and more than 28 entertainment acts, including North Carolina-based funksters Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band, San Francisco hula dance artist Spiral, Alaskan Inuit tribal funk group Pamuya, and more. Ever dreamed of being discovered at a talent show like "American Idol" or "So You Think You can Dance?" You'll have your chance when The Southeast Alaska State Fair hosts a regional, all-ages talent show, "Southeast's Got Talent," on July 29, the first day of the fair. The contest winner will receive a $500 prize and $250 travel stipend to travel to the statewide "Alaska's Got Talent" competition Sept. 6 at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer. Complete contest guidelines are available online, along with additional fair information and schedules, at www.seakfair.org.
August
Blueberry Arts Festival, Ketchikan, August 6-8. Thousands of Ketchikan residents and visitors celebrate the blueberry in style with the annual Blueberry Arts Festival. This summer staple offers over 100 booths featuring local art and handcrafted treasures. The festival makes a fast start with a fun run followed by cheering on your favorite slug during the Slug Races. Family fun continues with food and game booths, a blueberry pie-eating contest, the Battle of the Bands, trivia contest and the Great Blueberry Race. The Pet and Doll Parade kicks off the festivities on Friday, August 6, followed by the opening reception for the Blueberry Juried Art Show. Complete the evening with the 13th annual Gigglefeet Dance Festival. The Festival finishes Sunday, August 8 with the annual Richard Brautigan and Dick Whitaker Memorial Trout Fishing in America Poetry Slam. For more information, visit www.ketchikanarts.org/.
September
Klondike International Road Relay, September 10-11. This annual favorite is a local must-run! This race starts Friday afternoon and continues all night along the road. This 110 mile relay race begins in Skagway and ends in Whitehorse, Yukon, Saturday afternoon. Teams of 10 members from all over the world compete in this event. For more information and to register, visit http://www.klondikeroadrelay.com/.
Look for more information on these events in upcoming issues of the Capital City Weekly. Did we miss an event that should be on this list? Give us the details at editor@capweek.com.
