Fairbanks Midnight Sun Festival

Vendors lined the streets of downtown Fairbanks. It was hard to find parking, but Fairbanks has low elevation so it isn't too bad to walk.

I went to the Midnight Sun Festival last weekend. It was a nice chance to get outside, listen to music, and stock up on fair food and  ethnic food for weeks. To the left is the sign saying the festival goes from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. To the right is the sign outlining the various vendors. Some sold food, others sold items, and some were for organizations and music groups.

This jazz band was pretty neat.

We had fun singing along to this guy while others danced.

At one point during the fest, people could race rubber ducks down the Chena River.

 I also enjoyed people watching. This person wore a unicorn mask!

The festival is a family friendly event too. I saw people of all ages, and their pets. Games and a firetruck were set up for the kids while the adults could enjoy the shopping and music. Vendors sold all varieties of food and items. There was a vendor selling knives while another vendor sold pretty baby clothes. Many vendors had wheels to spin for prizes. Some vendors were for organizations such as the Fairbanks Food Bank and the Northern Alaska Environmental Center.

I saw all sorts of dogs. There was this big guy, a dalmatian, dachshund, and huskies. Too bad I don't have a dog of my own to bring along

Since the fest was in downtown Fairbanks, you could see the fountain there, the Chena River, and various shops and restaurants.

I enjoyed the wide variety of food, but nothing says Alaska like Reindeer dogs!

Be sure to bring the sunscreen. Contrary to popular belief, Fairbanks makes up for its long winter in the summer.

I had to go home early, but here you can see the light sky even though it is 12 a.m.

I also video taped the sky so you know i'm not playing with Photoshop! :)

I suggest you check out the Midnight Sun Festival if you are ever in Fairbanks during that time of year. It was a neat event. At the very least, you should stay up and enjoy the 21 hours of sunlight. You can learn more about our light here.

Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day everyone! Today is the holiday where we give back to the earth and take time to contemplate how our actions effect the environment and ecosystems. I encourage you to start making changes to become more sustainable today.

First, I encourage you to watch The Lorax. When I was little, I watched it and was influenced to express concern for my surroundings, but the movie has relevance for people of any age.

I like the message and the simplicity of it. Without the use of confusing language and scare tactics, we are nicely reminded to consider the environment and the impact we have upon it.

Furthermore, there is a multitude of actions you can take, both small and momentous, to support a better earth. Just research terms like "sustainability" or "zero waste" to generate ideas. After seeing what you can do, take the initiative to implement what works best for you to help out the environment.

Here are some sites I like:

Learn how to reduce the amount of waste you generate at zerowastehome.com
Figure out how and where to recycle things you didn't know were recyclable at earth911.com
Learn about composting on a large or small scale at eartheasy.com


Enjoy your Earth Day and I hope you all have the chance to get outdoors and start "going green"!

Freaky Fungi

Halloween is almost here! I took these pictures of while walking the trails of the University of Alaska Fairbanks before the snow fell, knowing they would be great for a blog post one day. What a better time than now, knowing all of the fairies, goblins, and ghouls of Halloween that call mushrooms home are about to come out of hiding. I only wish I knew more about these mysterious fungi so I could name them appropriately. Enjoy!

Easter on the Copperway

Happy Easter everyone! Today in Butte, Montana, we had sunny weather that was perfect for taking a walk. I headed up to the Copperway trail, one of my favorite trails in town due to the views and historical feel.

The trail is full of benches that offer great views and historical facts.

The first look of the trail. The Anselmo Mine is at the start of the trail.

To reach the very start of the trail, drive up Excelsior Street. Near the top, there is a parking lot and the Anselmo mine. From there, the trail continues. Parking lots near the Mountain Con Mine shorten the trail.

The trail is a bit bleak in the beginning, but after the first tunnel, the trail starts to display Butte from above as it climbs higher and higher towards the Mountain Con Mine.

There are 2 neat tunnels to walk under. 

Butte and the iconic "M".

The upper middle part of the trail features the Mountain Con Mine. People love this mine because the "mile high and a mile deep" is a geographical slogan of Butte.

Near the top of the trail is a rest area and a scenic lookout.

Seeing Butte from above on a sunny day makes me appreciate this town. It has such rich history that is still visible today.

The lookout is the "you are here" arrow. Butte looked like this picture in the past, yet many of those buildings and gallows frames are still visible today.

Mining damage still exists from Butte's past and is seen from the trail in places, but extensive restoration work has been done to clean up Butte.

If you ever want to take a walk through history on a nice day, try the Copperway Trail. This trail has pretty views, is paved, and is a unique example of past and present being incorporated together. I appreciate Butte when I enjoy its trails and remember Butte's history.