Fur Rondy

Fur Rendevous (Fur Rondy for short) is Anchorage’s winter festival. It started in 1935 as a sports festival during the time that the miners and trappers came into town to turn in their hard-earned products for cash. Now it is a week-and-a-half  full of activities for the cabin fever crowd, including dog sled races, family skates, a Native arts market, model train shows, the outhouse races, and the Running of the Reindeer. (Yes, they herd reindeer down the street while people run alongside them!)

Two events I always attend are the Rondy on Ice figure skating performance and the parade. My daughter is Miss Alaska this year, so I watched her sit on top of a car and wave to people. (Don’t worry about her being cold—she was wearing her great-aunt’s parka.)

Fur Rondy is a great way to have fun in the midst of winter. What does your town do this time of year? Or if you’ve participated, what is your favorite Fur Rondy event?