Annual Events in Anchorage
From sporting events and ceremonies to popular fairs and festivals, Anchorage is filled with annual events to spice up every season. Whether you’re looking for snow-packed winter excitement or a family-friendly summer celebration, Anchorage offers unforgettable gatherings throughout the year.
In January, experience the Anchorage Folk Festival, a toe-tapping good time featuring free public performances, workshops, jam sessions, and a banjo competition. Sip local suds during Alaska Beer Week, an annual celebration of craft beer in Alaska involving a rotating schedule of samplings, pairings, tastings, and other hops-fueled fun.
February features Fur Rendezvous, an Anchorage tradition since 1935. Spanning the last week of February, the festival usually includes a carnival, parade, snow sculpture competition, fireworks show, dog sled races, and more unique Alaska fun.
March brings the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, which dovetails with the end of Fur Rendezvous. See some of the world’s best dog teams and mushers flock to the Mushing District in the heart of downtown Anchorage.
In April, celebrate the end of the ski season with the Spring Carnival in Girdwood. Alyeska Resort’s popular event includes the Slush Cup when costumed skiers attempt to leap across an icy pond traditionally surrounded by cheering crowds at the foot of the mountain.
June traditionally brings the annual Summer Solstice Festival: Make the most of the longest day of the year with food trucks and an exhilarating array of family-friendly fun on downtown Anchorage’s Fourth Avenue. PrideFest, a celebration of Anchorage’s LGBTQ communities, features a fair on the Delaney Park Strip and the Anchorage Pride Parade through the streets of downtown. For runners, the Mayor’s Marathon (and corresponding half-marathon, 5k, and kids’ mile) is an iconic way to explore Anchorage-area trails.
Anchorage celebrates the Fourth of July in a big way, with a community parade and carnival on Delaney Park Strip in the heart of downtown. Also in July, Girdwood’s popular summer Forest Fair draws thousands of people to the woods at the edge of Chugach State Park with arts and crafts vendors, food booths, entertainers, and a parade. Later in the month the Bear Paw Festival, a family-friendly summer favorite, traditionally includes a carnival, a classic car show, a foot race, and the iconic Slippery Salmon Olympics.
August brings more race action to Anchorage trails, as Anchorage Run Fest brings a 49-kilometer ultra race, marathon, half marathon, and more. Stay on the run in September at the Alyeska Climbathon, a fun all-day event where participants have 10 hours to run, hike, and walk the 2.2-mile North Face Trail ascending 2,000 vertical feet from Hotel Alyeska to the Alyeska tram.
Changing seasons means more opportunities to enjoy Anchorage and celebrate everything from culture to craft beer. In October, immerse yourself in the rich traditions of the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention at the Dena’ina Center, the largest annual gathering in the United States of any Native peoples. Many AFN events are open to the public including the Alaska Native Customary Art Fair, renowned as one of the best places to find Alaska Native and Native American artwork.
Prost! Transport yourself to the heart of Oktoberfest without leaving Anchorage, where various events like the Alyeska Oktoberfest offer Bavarian food, music, and, of course, beer. Feel the thrill of the season with the annual Zombie Half Marathon, a spooktacular 13.1-mile run from Goose Lake to Kincaid Park, showcasing the vibrant fall colors. New to Anchorage is the Skinny Raven Oktoberfest 5k & 10k, a community event to support Covenant House. After completing the run, enjoy food and drinks from 49th State Brewing Anchorage
As November unfolds, get into the holiday spirit at the annual Tree Lighting in Town Square Park with Santa, reindeer, dance and musical performances, food trucks, and treats. Typically coinciding with small business Saturday, shop local and get a jump start on finding a gift for that special someone in your life.
Come December, watch films worth freezing for at the Anchorage International Film Festival. AIFF was recently recognized as one of the 25 coolest film festivals in the world. Winter Solstice means brighter days ahead as Anchorage residents know how to have a good time. With around five and a half hours of daylight, there are plenty of night skies for aurora viewing.
The fun doesn’t stop there: Visit our event calendar for daily details on concerts, shows, exhibits, and more.
