Combating Cabin Fever

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Every year in February, Anchorage holds Fur Rondevous, a winter carnival fondly know as Rondy. It consists of two weeks of events, some of which must have been dreamed up after a long winter in a small cabin. It starts with fireworks and a parade. There's a carnival, a melodrama, and the Miners and Trappers Ball. A snowshoe softball tournament and outhouse races. And more.

When my kids were small, it seemed like we always had a sub-zero cold snap during Rondy. I have memories of dressing the kids in multiple layers and snowsuits to ride the tilt-a-whirl, but this year my husband and I were blessed with a perfect run of sunny weather. We started with the  amateur photography exibit...



...and then toured the snow sculptures.




"Not All Treasure is Gold"

My personal favorite was the dragon guarding piles of books. It won the people's choice, so apparently there were lots of other readers or possibly dragon fans who voted for it, too.

The second weekend saw the Running of the Reindeer, Anchorage's answer to the Running of the Bulls. Fortunately reindeer are much gentler, and as you can see, costumes are encouraged.











While it's not technically part of the festival, the ceremonial start of the Iditarod happens at the end of Rondy. The trail runs all the way across Anchorage. We joined a big crowd of kids and adults near the university to watch the dog teams go by. In between sleds, kids climbed trees and played in the snow, and I saw some enterprising Girl Scouts with bags of cookies working the crowd. It was a great day to be in Alaska. The "Iditariders" in the sleds looked like they were having fun, too.




Sadly, we had things to do and didn't make it to the blanket toss, scavenger hunt, Mr. Fur Face competition, or the rootbeer float chugging contest. But there's always next year.

What annual festivals or activities do you celebrate where you live?


If you can't make it in person, you can visit Alaska through my Northern Lights series. The latest release is An Alaskan Proposal, available in paperback or ebook from online bookstores. 

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Comments

  1. Janice CarterMarch 28, 2019 at 4:24 AM

    Such an amazing way to beat cabin fever! I loved the snow sculptures, especially the book

    dragon, and am intrigued by the Fur Face (beards?) competition. A great community event and a lovely way to see that community is through your series, Beth.

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    1. Beth CarpenterMarch 28, 2019 at 9:23 AM

      Thanks, Janice! I hear the beards were quite impressive.

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  2. Liz FlahertyMarch 28, 2019 at 5:16 AM

    I love this, especially the snow sculptures. We have the amateur circus and Round Barn festivals here, and covered bridge elsewhere in the state. I'm glad for celebrations--they're historically important.

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    1. Beth CarpenterMarch 28, 2019 at 9:25 AM

      Snow sculptures are my favorites, too. I love the idea of a round barn festival. I've never seen one, but I remember reading about one in a "Cat Who..." mystery. Covered bridges are so pretty, too.

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  3. Virginia McCulloughMarch 28, 2019 at 6:20 AM

    Thanks--sounds like wonderful fun and a good way to celebrate winter--I love snow sculptures and all your photos. I'm glad you had good weather!

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  4. Callie EndicottMarch 28, 2019 at 6:50 AM

    I loved those ice sculptures! All of them were great, but I'd have voted for the dragon guarding the books, too. Fortunately, where I live, the temperature is milder, so cabin fever isn't quite as much problem. We do have numerous annual events - flower shows, rodeos, parades, holiday activities, etc.

    I used to live in an area where there was something almost every weekend somewhere close-by. There and even here, I've had to chose what will be part of my personal annual tradition.

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    1. Beth CarpenterMarch 28, 2019 at 9:29 AM

      They're actually snow sculptures. In Fairbanks, they have an ice sculpture contest that's truly amazing. The snow sculptures in Anchorage are more amatuer, but still quite artistic.

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  5. AnonymousMarch 28, 2019 at 7:47 AM

    That all looks like so much fun, Beth. Wonderful way to celebrate community and to combat cabin fever. The snow sculptures look amazing. Here in Tucson, my favorite event of the year is the Tucson Festival of Books. In March, we have two days of book and literacy-related events. Every author and reader's dream event.

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    1. Beth CarpenterMarch 28, 2019 at 9:30 AM

      It's hard to beat anything involving books. Maybe someday I'll come visit.

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  6. Cathy McDavidMarch 28, 2019 at 8:05 AM

    Loved all your pictures. What a great event to sweep away the winter cobwebs. Running of the Reindeer is now on my bucket list :)

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  7. LydiaMarch 28, 2019 at 1:00 PM

    These events look like so much fun! Toronto has an outdoor ice sculpture exhibit in March. I didn't go this year due to an injury, but it's a pretty cool event in general.

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    1. Beth CarpenterMarch 28, 2019 at 4:00 PM

      The ice sculptures are incredible, especially with the lights on the ice! It's almost a shame to think of them melting away, isn't it?

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    2. Patricia BradleyMarch 28, 2019 at 7:11 PM

      It would almost be worth it to endure the cold and snow to have something like Rondy! We don't do anything that I can think of down her in North Mississippi. :-)

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    3. Beth CarpenterMarch 28, 2019 at 7:14 PM

      You should have a fall festival to celebrate the cooler weather.

      Delete
  8. PattyMarch 29, 2019 at 12:08 PM

    I love seeing Alaska through your eyes! :)

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    1. Beth CarpenterMarch 29, 2019 at 5:34 PM

      Thanks! Armchair traveling is so much fun, I think.

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