The Fur Rendezvous packed with tradition, lore.

• Author: Pilkington, Steve
• Position: Alaska this Month

From Fur auctions to the eskimo blanket toss ... from snow races to sled dog races ... from ice sculptures to fireworks ... Fur Rondy's got it all!

Finding fun things to do, especially outdoors, during the height of the winter season, is part of living in Alaska. It isn't hard to understand why the Anchorage Fur Rendezvous has had more than 65 years of success as a unique winter event, with a touch of the fantastic and unusual to boot. Over the years it has grown to a schedule including more than 100 events custom tailored for Alaska's winter revelers.

This month, Fur Rondy (as it has become known) begins on Feb.14 and runs through Feb. 23, with events ranging all over Anchorage and varying from foot and ski races to storytelling events to sled dog races, dances and a parade. Much of the fun is tied to the history and lore of Alaska.

Fur Rendezvous began as a winter sports tournament, mainly hockey and basketball. According to Greater Anchorage Inc., the organization that manages and operates Fur Rondy, some history books state it began in 1936, while other sources place its start as late as 1939. The year in which the idea was conceived is now accepted by GAI as the beginning date of the festival: 1935. It was then that Vern Johnson, Clyde Conover, Thomas Bevers and Dale Bowen came up with the idea of a party that would encompass all of Anchorage.

The purpose of the carnival simply was to bring people together, to show community support and to celebrate the beginning of the end of the long winter. In those days revelers purchased a $2 ticket for all of the activities. Because fur trading was the second-leading industry in Alaska at the time, it became an important part of the festival. It provided a golden opportunity for trappers and buyers to meet in Anchorage to ply their trade and cut out the middleman. Trapping contests were held, and prizes were...