Winterfest kicked off this week at UAA! Winterfest features lots of different activities on campus and around Anchorage – and it has us thinking more about the winter celebrations in Alaska – over the next week we’ll highlight a few of them!

For those who live in Anchorage, Fur Rondy might be the most familiar. In 1935, Vern Johnson and friends started the first ever Fur Rendezvous (aka Fur Rondy) festival, timed to coincide with miners and trappers coming back to town with their yields. This year is the 90th celebration of Fur Rondy, and the festival has evolved in include a plethora of activities for people of all ages.

At the UAA/APU Consortium Library, we have copies of the Fur Rendezvous and Dog Mushers Annual, a book that was released each year highlighting the activities from that year’s festival. It’s a really fun peek into the history of the celebration! Check out the covers of the 1976 and 1987 copies and find these (and more!) in the Alaska Collection – call number REF ALASKA F 914.A4 F9:

You can also search for photos in the Alaska Digital Archive to get a sense for what Fur Rondy was like at different times in Anchorage’s history – like this photo of snowshoe softball in 1992, taken by Susan Winton.

Want to try out a prize-winning recipe from the 1982 baked good competition held during Fur Rondy? We have the cookbook – and Liz’s Supreme Kringler (1st Place, Division Winner, Best of Show!) looks incredible. Find it in the Alaska Collection at call number TX 715.A559 1982.

Stay tuned for more posts about winter celebrations in Alaska!