The addition of the Alcan 200 snowmachine race to this year’s Winterfest celebration promises to add critical mass to the fledgling event, making it a bigger draw that can bring more visitors and money to our town.
Winterfest happens Feb. 16-18. That’s enough lead time to start promoting this year’s event as a blockbuster.
Former tourism director Leslie Ross created Winterfest about seven years ago, combining three events that historically fell on different dates: the state fair’s Winter Games, the Miles Classic Nordic Ski event and the ’Koot-to-’Kat Adventure Race over Mount Ripinsky.
The ’Koot-to-’Kat proved to be an especially big draw, attracting winter athletes from the Yukon Territory and surrounding areas.
The addition this year of the Alcan, the grand-daddy of Haines winter events, will boost the weekend by bringing in giant sleds and fans of what’s sometimes called the Last Great Road Race in North America.
For most of its 50-plus years, organizers staged the Alcan in the third weekend of January. But that schedule put the event at nearly the coldest and darkest time of year. Short days particularly added risk, especially when combined with race delays or white-out conditions in Chilkat Pass.
Our winter weather is unpredictable, but a brighter, safer Alcan 200 is a good idea and the race’s move to Winterfest weekend could prove serendipitous. This year, family or friends of competitors in the Alcan or the ’Koot-to-’Kat can spend Saturday at the fairgounds, sipping hot chocolate and watching events like youth sled races and turkey bowling.
With more folks visiting from out-of-town, local businesses might offer longer hours, live music or other promotions. Hours might be extended at public facilities like the swimming pool and public library. How about more events such as a bonfire, film festival, fireworks display, Winter Trivia Tournament or an Alaska vs. Yukon tug-of-war or snowball fight?
A kid’s sled dog race with Fido pulling tykes in a plastic toboggan down the Main Street of Dalton City was a favorite at the Winter Games for years.
We know from experience with the Southeast Alaska State Fair that special events and side attractions – like the softball tournament, the parade or a fun run – add drawing power. With four big events on the Winterfest schedule, adding some smaller ones shouldn’t be a challenge, particularly if new groups or volunteers are recruited.
Mid-winter festivals are as much about the North as tundra. There’s no reason that Haines shouldn’t host a winter blast of its own. The addition of the Alcan 200, along with some smaller, creative flourishes, could make Winterfest a big draw.
Let’s make that happen.