Summer is a busy time in Alaska.
There are a million things to attend to: Fishing. Camping. Bike riding.
And yet Alaskans still find time to throw parties and festivals. You're invited to come as you are.
MAY
Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival -- Homer.
Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival -- Cordova.
Syttende Mai -- Petersburg.
Town with Scandinavian heritage celebrates Norwegian indepedence day.
Koniag's Kodiak Crab Festival -- Kodiak.
Food and games celebrating the king crab.
Great Alaska Craftbeer and Homebrew Festival -- Haines.
Kachemak Bay Kayak Fest -- Homer.
Ten days of kayaking and related events, seminars, demonstrations and workshops for all ages and skill levels.
Old Harbor Whaling Festival -- All month -- Kodiak.
Celebrate one part of the island's maritime history.
JUNE
Kachemak Bay Kayak Fest - Homer.
Ten days of kayaking and related events, seminars, demonstrations and workshops for all ages and skill levels.
Anchorage Festival of Music -- Anchorage.
White nights and lots of music around the city.
Kachemak Bay Writers' Conference -- Homer.
Lectures, workshops, panel presentations and readings with nationally recognized writers.
Last Frontier Theatre Conference -- Valdez.
12th annual conference will feature Edward Albee, Tony Kushner, Angela Bassett, Courtney B. Vance, and Daniel Esbjorson.
Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon -- Anchorage.
Runners come from around the world.
Kluane-Chilkat Bike Race -- Haines.
Spirit Days -- Anchorage.
Alaska Natives celebrate their heritages.
Seldovia Summer Solstice Music Festival -- Seldovia.
Summer solstice -- Statewide.
Any town worth its salt has a festival, concert or race this weekend as the days reach their longest. Solstice is at 4:57 p.m. Alaska time.
Midnight Sun Baseball Game -- Fairbanks.
The 99th annual Midnight Sun game features the Fairbanks Gold Panners. Play begins at 10:30 p.m.
Yukon 800 Boat Race -- Fairbanks.
Down the Chena and Tanana rivers to the Yukon and back. Race starts at Pike's Landing.
Arctic Thunder air show -- Anchorage.
Elmendorf Air Force Base shows off its stuff. Blue Angels team will put on a demonstration.
Gold Rush Days -- Juneau.
What became Alaska's capital city was founded after a gold strike in 1880.
JULY
Midnight Sun Intertribal Powwow -- Fairbanks.
Girdwood Forest Fair -- Girdwood.
Arts and crafts, music, food in this ski town south of Anchorage.
Independence Day -- Statewide.
Fireworks in Eagle River at 12:01 a.m. Parades and other activities in cities statewide.
Mount Marathon race -- Seward.
Racers go up a 3,022-foot mountain and back down.
Bear Paw Festival -- Eagle River.
Carnival, art exhibits, food, parade, races.
Moose Dropping Festival -- Talkeetna.
Raucous party includes the Mountain Mother contest, a parade, the moose nugget (moose poop) toss game and a moose nugget dropping contest.
Summer Arts Festival -- Fairbanks.
Bear Country Music Festival -- Kodiak.
Golden Days -- July 21-25 -- Fairbanks.
Parade, arts, music, food to honor Fairbanks' century of gold.
World Eskimo-Indian Olympics -- Fairbanks.
Competitors from arctic lands compete in traditional games.
Fort Seward Days -- Haines.
Games, activities and celebrations mark the 100th anniversary of the construction of Fort William H. Seward.
Anderson Bluegrass Festival -- Anderson.
AUGUST
Anderson Bluegrass Festival -- Anderson.
Gold Rush Days -- Juneau.
Talkeetna Bluegrass Festival -- Talkeetna.
Tanana Valley State Fair -- Fairbanks.
The Interior shows off its finest crops, livestock and art, plus midway rides.
SE Alaska State Fair and Bald Eagle Music Festival -- Haines.
Kenai Peninsula State Fair -- Ninilchik.
Alaska State Fair -- Palmer.
The state's largest fair, with midway rides, agricultural and art exhibits, 4-H displays and lots of food.
SEPTEMBER
Alaska State Fair -- Palmer.
The state's largest fair, with midway rides, agricultural and art exhibits, 4-H displays and a lot of food.
Alyeska Blueberry and Mountain Arts Festival -- Girdwood.
Kodiak State Fair and Rodeo -- Kodiak.
Labor Day -- Statewide.
Autumn equinox -- Statewide.
Days and nights are each 12 hours long. Equinox is at 8:30 a.m. Alaska time.
