Planning Alaska's top events: organizers, sponsors, and volunteers are key.

• Author: Anderson, Tasha
• Position: VISITOR INDUSTRY

It's hard to imagine a better venue than a warm Alaska summer. The days are long, the scenery is beautiful, and Alaskans and visitors alike are energized by the nearly endless sun. It's no wonder the flurry of events and festivals that take place around the state featuring live music, local art and food vendors, and the company of interesting people. But while the midnight sun conveniently arranges its own schedule, Alaska's events and festivals aren't quite so lucky.

Slam'n Salm'n

For Angelique Miller, development and outreach director for the Downtown Soup Kitchen, about the only part of the Slam'n Salm'n Derby (June 10-19) that she doesn't need to organize is the fish; they arrange their own transportation to one of the Downtown Soup Kitchen's annual fundraising events. For the last twelve years, the Downtown Soup Kitchen has used this ten-day derby both as a fundraiser and as an awareness event.

Miller has been pulling together Slam'n Salm'n, a king salmon derby, for the last five years. She says that to prepare for the June derby, a planning committee, which she is a part of, starts meeting as soon as January; but that's not the beginning of the process, as sometimes the fall previous she'll be in contact with companies about possible sponsorship. "The real connections and commitments are made early in the year of the derby," Miller says.

Any organizer of an annual event will say that a big part of the planning process is the re-planning process: after the event is over, what went right, what went wrong, and what needs to change? Miller says a few of their adjustments over the last few years have been successful. One is their system of prizes. "In the past we've had boats or things that have been a typical fisherman type of prize, but last year and this year we have gone to first and second prize actually being gold and silver," she says, specifically gold coins and silver bars. A boat is a fantastic prize, but it's like the famed white elephant, it can be a challenge: visitors to Alaska that participate in the derby may not have planned to make arrangements to transport a boat home; not everyone can store a boat; and selling a boat that one can't use can be a time consuming task. Miller says derby participants seem to appreciate the new prizes, which are still sought after and exciting while being a little more practical for most. Plus, that's just first and second place; there are many derby categories that still have typical...