Fur Rondy

For a while now I've been meaning to do more posts on living in Alaska. It's truly such a unique experience that we are having here, and I'd love to share more of it with you.

Tonight we went to a celebration called the Fur Rendezvous (or Fur Rondy, as super cool kids call it). I just learned, courtesy of Google, that Fur Rondy started in 1935 as a 3-day sports festival to give the locals something to do in the winter. For reals. Now it has all sorts of events, from a Native Alaskan blanket toss, to the Running of the Reindeer (race against reindeer!), Outhouse Races (?), fireworks, and more!

We always love to see the snow sculptures made for the competition. This year, with Minecraft, Minions, and Dr. Who all in one competition, my kids almost wet their pants with excitement. It's amazing to see what people can make from an 8'x8' block of snow.

(This was half of a huge sculpture of a bear bowling at these little penguin bowling pins)

There is also a carnival that sets up downtown, and everyone comes and enjoys it, and we all pretend we're not going to the fair in the middle of an Alaskan winter.

As we look down the "midway," you'll note our large hotel off to the left, one of the dead giveaways that they just plopped this carnival right downtown.

Fair selfies.

 

Attempting to share cotton candy and a caramel apple in the cold, with no tables, pummeled by an 8-year-old, a 4-year-old, and a 6-year-old with two loose front teeth and a penchant for swallowing them.

 

We ended the night cold and content. It was one of those nights where the kids behaved, strangers gave us extra tickets, no one cried and begged for more than they got, and the fair treats tasted like the nectar of the gods. Love this Alaskan life.