Alaska Travel News

October 1, 2008

In this October Travel News Bulletin you will find:

1. North Pole on ice
2. New cultural center opens in Fairbanks
3. Full steam ahead on new Ketchikan tour
4. Greenest Glacier Bay
5. Countdown to Alaska’s 50th birthday: Alaska Day is October 18

1. North Pole on ice

New York City may have its tree-lighting ceremony, but only in North Pole, Alaska does the holiday season kick off by lighting a giant frozen turkey sculpture. The ice-sculpture bird, standing over eight feet tall, will be illuminated on Thanksgiving Day to officially start the second annual “North Pole Christmas in Ice” festival and sculpting competition.

Residents are still ebullient about the success of last year’s event, which sold over 3,700 tickets and welcomed 24 ice artists from Alaska and China dueling to carve the winning Christmas-themed sculpture from a single block of ice.

This holiday season, ice artists will again transform the venue at Santa Land RV Park in North Pole into a winter wonderland of ice sculptures and children’s play park. The competitors will face off Thursday, December 4, and the venue will be open to the public every day until the end of the month. Click HERE for more information on the North Pole Christmas in Ice.

2. New cultural center opens in Fairbanks

Distinguished Alaskan Morris Thompson is remembered for building bridges. Last month, Fairbanks cut the ribbon on a visitor center named in his honor to help bridge the diverse cultures of Interior Alaska. The Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center, built through a partnership of both Alaska Native and non-Native organizations, encourages visitors to explore the unique cultures of the Interior and learn more about travel opportunities in Interior Alaska. The facility, which opened its doors to guests in late September, is located on the banks of the Chena River in downtown Fairbanks and will house the Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau, Denakkanaaga, an Alaska Native Elders gathering area, the Alaska Geographic Store and cultural programs for the Tanana Chiefs Conference. Exhibit construction is currently underway and expected to be unveiled in May 2009. For more information on the new facility, visit www.morristhompsoncenter.org; to learn more about Fairbanks, visit www.explorefairbanks.com.

3. Full steam ahead on new Ketchikan tour

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