TRAPPER CREEK BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL
facebook.com
WHEN: May 22 to May 24
WHERE: Boots Bison Ranch (Trapper Creek)
TIX: $60 in advance, $75 at the gate; Tickets available at Planet X and The Rusty Revolver in Anchorage, The Shack in Wasilla, Grassroots Guitar in Fairbanks, Sugar Magnolias in Soldotna, The Fringe in Homer, and Trapper Creek Trading Post.
WHAT: An annual summer music festival hosted in Trapper Creek. Featuring everything from electro-pop to traditional bluegrass.
WHO: Angeline Moore, Animal Eyes, Annie Where the Sun Don't Shine, Backwoods Revolution, Blackwater Railroad Company, Dumpster Chicken, Fairbanks Fire & Flow, Fanno Creek, Ghost Town Gospel, Green Tara's Honkytonk Smorgasbord, Hobo Knife, Sahara Storm Productions, Sasparilla, Saucy Yoda, Skyler Fell, Justin Boot & the Goddamn Ranch Hand Band, Slim Jim Crowbar, Snarley Brown, Sophia Street, Spank Williams, The Dirty Hands, The Dirty Skanks, The Red Handed, The Shoot Dangs, The Sweeteners, Thee Hobo Gobbelins, Ukulele Russ, and Unfaithful Lovers.
PRIDEFEST
alaskapride.org
WHEN: May 30 to June 6
WHERE: Check website for event locations
TIX: Some event free, check website for ticket information
WHAT: Wherever you fall on the LGBTQIA spectrum—or if you consider yourself an ally—PrideFest is the place to be to celebrate queer culture in Alaska.
WHO: Featuring art, performances and more by Daphne DoAll LaChores, Vik, Mitch & Shalem Photography, RuPaul’s Drag Race season six contestant BenDeLaCreme as well as films by David Thorpe, Madelein Olnek, and Susanna Fogel.
DOWNTOWN SUMMER SOLSTICE FESTIVAL & CONCERT
anchoragedowntown.org
WHEN: June 20, noon to 6 p.m.; concert from 6 to 10 p.m.
WHERE: 4th Avenue between C & L Street; 411 West 1st Avenue
TIX: Free!
WHAT: An annual event in downtown Anchorage celebrating the official start of summer. Activities include Alaskan arts & crafts, carnival rides, giant sandbox, Hero Games, kayak pool, petting zoo, pro skateboarding demo, Solstice Break-Fest, Solstice Sawfest and Taste of Anchorage Food Zone. Concert will feature live local bands, beer garden, and food vendors.
WHO: Steven’s Puppets at the Children’s Rainbow Factory, Rage City Roller Girls at Town Square, and 2015 concert headliner Lonestar.
MIDNIGHT SUN FESTIVAL
downtownfairbanks.com
WHEN: June 21, noon to midnight
WHERE: Barnette Street & 2nd Avenue (Fairbanks, AK)
TIX: Check website for ticket information
WHAT: Alaska’s longest one-day festival is a celebration on the longest day of the year. It’s a family-friendly street fair packed with live music, performances and hundreds of booths selling food, crafts, official festival t-shirts, and handmade souvenirs.
WHO: TBA
MOOSE PASS SUMMER SOLSTICE FESTIVAL
facebook.com
WHEN: June 21 and June 22
WHERE: Mile 29.5 (Seward Highway, Seward, AK)
TIX: Free!
WHAT: An annual music festival in Seward featuring a variety of acts during a day of fun in the great outdoors. Live music, food, beer garden, bake sales, vendors, auctions, raffles, and a carnival.
WHO: Alder Bash, Green Tara and her Handsome Gents, Jeffrey Able Band, and Tyson James Alteri, The Strangs; more TBA.
GIRDWOOD FOREST FAIR
girdwoodforestfair.com
WHEN: July 3 to July 5
WHERE: Mile 2.2. Alyeska Highway (Girdwood)
TIX: Free!
WHAT: The 40th annual Forest Fair, featuring Alaskan artists, hand-crafted items, exotic foods and entertainers from all over Alaska. Camping will be allowed in Forest Fair campgrounds for a fee; camping permit required.
WHO: TBA
BEAR PAW FESTIVAL
bearpawfestival.org
WHEN: July 8 to July 12
WHERE: Eagle River Town Square Park
TIX: Check website for more information
WHAT: For their 30th anniversary the Bear Paw Festival is going all out. Expect a new attraction this summer: human foosball. Interested? We are, too. The usual food tents, picnic tables, and carnival rides will all be there. Look out for a special announcement coming soon.
WHO: Nervis Rex; one more TBA.
FAIRBANKS SUMMER ARTS FESTIVAL
fsaf.org
WHEN: July 12 to July 26
WHERE: Check website for event locations
TIX: Prices vary based on event
WHAT: A summer camp for the grown ups, the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival is for people who are enthusiastic about the fine arts, including visual and performing arts.
WHO: Classes and performances include American roots, cabaret, Celtic, folk arts, gospel music, guitar, harp, jazz, new music, opera/musical theatre, orchestra/composing, piano, steel pans, strings, woodwinds, and world music/dance.
SPECTRUM MUSIC FESTIVAL
spectrumfestivalalaska.com
WHEN: July 24 and July 25
WHERE: Harrison Allotment (Chickaloon)
TIX: $70 in advance, $90 at the gate; Tickets available at website, Mammoth Music and Planet X Spenard.
WHAT: Alaska’s premier electronic music festival has changed locations this year, but is still the same innovative music and art experience. It exists “to celebrate the infinite diversity of sound & light.”
WHO: Adam J, Christian Martin, Clever Disguise, Clint Samples, Conscious Rhythm, Contact, De Pips, Decibel Outlaw, Dela Moontribe, Dig Sista, DJ Gre, DJ Militant, DJ Tony H, Emma Hill with Bryan Daste , Harm, Haunted Surfer, Heretic Foundation, Kid Simbah, Laserwolf, Mad Mike, Mad Tak, Mike Butler, MINDTRΔP, Nine Lives, Nyarl, Pretty Birds That Kill, Rainsex, Rawb, Rikki Tikki Tavi, Saucy Yoda, Scotty B Naughty, Simplicate, SR-71, Stylez-X, The Shaman, The Sweetners, and Thunderoid.
HOMESKILLET MUSIC FESTIVAL
homeskilletfest.com
WHEN: July 31 and August 1
WHERE: Sea Mountain Golf Course (301 Granite Creek Road, Sitka)
TIX: $10 per day, kids under 10 are free; Tickets available at website or at Old Harbor Books and The Devilfish Gallery in Sitka.
WHAT: A summer music festival hosted by Home Skillet Records, this outdoor festival brings together a variety of eclectic acts from all over the country.
WHO: Benjamin Verdoes, Breathe Owl Breathe, Budo, Chimurenga Renaissance, Erik Blood, Iska Dhaaf, Kirt Debique, OC Notes, Silver Jackson, Strummin Dog, and The Wool Pullers; more TBA.
SALMONFEST
salmonfestalaska.org
WHEN: July 31 to August 2
WHERE: Kenai Peninsula Fairgrounds (16200 Sterling Highway, Ninilchik, AK)
TIX: $65-$115 until May 31; check website for more ticket information
WHAT: Formerly known as Salmonstock, Salmonfest is a three-day music festival celebrating bluegrass and folk music. The line up includes a variety of performers, some of whom are Grammy-nominated acts.
WHO: California Honeydrops, Dirty River Ramblers, Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell, Great American Taxi, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, MarchFourth Marching Band, Moonalice, The Motet, and The New Orleans Suspects
ALYESKA RESORT BLUEBERRY FESTIVAL
alyeskaresort.com
WHEN: August 8 & August 9, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
WHERE: Alyeska Resort (1000 Arlberg Avenue, Girdwood)
TIX: Free!
WHAT: A celebration of berry season at Alyeska featuring live music, berry picking, local arts and crafts booths, tasty blueberry treats, cooking demos, beer and wine garden, hiking and biking, chair massages, pie eating contest, blueberry creations contest and more.
WHO: TBA
ALASKA STATE FAIR
alaskastatefair.org
WHEN: August 27 to September 7
WHERE: Palmer Fairgrounds (2075 Glenn Hwy, Palmer)
TIX: Monday-Thursday $7-$11, Friday-Saturday $8-$13, season pass $30-$60 and 6-pack $30-$60 until August 26; Monday-Thursday $9-$13 and Friday-Saturday $10-$15 after August 26. Prices for concert tickets vary.
WHAT: The annual Alaska State Fair is categorically the biggest festival of the summer. Rides, games, fair food, and barnyard animals are just some of the yearly attractions. This year’s AT&T Concert Series is packed full of national acts performing at the Borealis Theatre.
WHO: The Bellamy Brothers, Blood, Sweat & Tears, David Nail, Daughtry, Garrison Keillor, Jim Gaffigan, Kacey Musgraves, Lee Brice, Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Portugal. The Man, and Skillet; one more TBA.
SEWARD MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL
sewardfestival.blogspot.com
WHEN: September 25 to September 27
WHERE: Dale R. Lindsey Railroad Terminal (913 Port Avenue, Seward, AK)
TIX: Check website for ticket information
WHAT: The 12th annual SMAF brings together artist from around the state to perform, although they SMAF team tries to focus on local arts within Seward. Live entertainment and vendors.
WHO: TBA
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