Fur Rondy celebrates 75 years: winter festival features new events for 2010.

• Author: Pounds, Nancy
• Position: Alaska This Month

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The Anchorage Fur Rondezvous Festival marks its 75th anniversary this year with high-tech additions and new community-centered activities. Fur Rondy organizers continue to update Anchorage's winter festival to make it appeal to younger generations of Alaskans. This year's event runs Feb. 26 to March 7.

This year sled dog racing fans will be able to track their favorite teams via global positioning system satellite navigation during the World Championship Sled Dog Race. The GPS addition represents the first application of this technology to sled dog racing.

Rondy nearly faced elimination in 2006 due to financial woes. Since then, its organizing group has been revamped to breathe new life in the long-time annual festival. Also, local businesspeople and residents have demonstrated their support for Rondy.

"The community has always loved Fur Rondy," said Ernie Hall, Fur Rendezvous board of directors president. "We want this to be a community festival owned by the community."

Organizers also strive to work with nonprofit groups to coordinate fundraisers during Rondy activities. The revenue generated in this effort supports the Anchorage economy also. Rondy officials also aim to boost the festival's popularity in order to turbocharge the Anchorage economy.

"We want it to be economically successful to the community so it's an economic driver," Hall said. And Rondy's triumphant revival has revealed itself in increased business at downtown restaurants and shops. "We've been doing a pretty nice job of it the last three years," Hall said. "We've got the community back."

This year the Institute of Social and Economic Research plans to conduct a study on Fur Rondy. "We have no doubt that it will show that the Anchorage Fur Rondy is an economic driver," Hall said.

NEW FOR 2010

One of the most exciting new events this year is called Sprints at Sundown, Hall said. The new eight-dog sprint race on March 6 will start on Fourth Avenue and feature two teams starting simultaneously. Racing teams will descend the steep Cordova Street hill before circling and returning via the same route. Organizers believe the dynamic race lit by streetlights will generate enthusiastic crowds.

"It's going to be extremely...