The Midnight Sun Festival

It’s Summer Solstice Weekend in Fairbanks.

After hauling six dump loads of rock and distributing it for several hours today, I planned on a relaxing evening on my deck with a cold cerveza. Sadly, I’ve received visitors who convinced me to join them in viewing the 30th Midnight Sun Run. Since most Solstice events start at 10pm, I still have some time to chill out.

The Sun Run is a 10K race that starts at 10pm on the University of Alaska-Fairbanks campus, and runs through city streets along the Chena River, eventually ending at Alaska Land… errr Pioneer Park. This is not your average road race: Costumes are encouraged, and the Army representatives have, on more than one occasion, pulled a howitzer along for good measure. The race starts, not with a starter pistol, but with cannon fire that you can hear throughout the valley. The MSR usually draws around 3000 runners. I’ve done the race twice, but sadly, registration is closed, and I will have to be a spectator in 2012.

Tomorrow morning at Pike’s Landing is the start of the Yukon 800 boat race. The race has been called “The longest, roughest, toughest, speed boat race in the world, traveling 800 miles along the Chena, Tanana and Yukon rivers”. Harold Attla, who has won the race 10 times, finished the 800 run last year with a time of 12 hours, 22 minutes, 26 seconds. Make it 11 Harold.

And finally.
Where: Downtown Fairbanks.
When: All Day on Sunday.
What: The Midnight Sun Festival takes over the heart of downtown. It’s a mass of Alaskan humanity with some tourists thrown in for confusion. Lots of live music… often competing, food, drink, food, entertainment, food, crafts and I believe the 3 on 3 b-ball tourney is back this year.
The tourists don’t seem to really understand why The Solstice is such a big deal here, but they do seem to enjoy the eclectic activities all the same. The Summer Solstice is one big party in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Time to grab a bottle of bug dope and head off towards campus.