Fur Rendezvous Anchorage 2027

Fur Rendezvous Anchorage 2027

Fur Rendezvous is an Anchorage tradition since 1935. Spanning the last week of February, the festival usually includes a carnival, parade, snow sculpture competition, fireworks show, dog sled races, and more unique Alaska fun.

• Stay at the Hotel Captain Cook,  rated “Superb” by guests with spacious rooms, a modern gym and delicious breakfast options with a great location for exploring the best of Anchorage.

The Event

• Next Edition: Thursday 25th February to Sunday 7th March 2027.
• Known locally as Fur Rondy, the Fur Rendezvous event has proudly represented the pioneering spirit of Alaskans.
• The event started in 1935 as a three-day sporting event timed to coincide with the return of miners and trappers loaded down with the fruits of a winter of work. The original event featured skiing, hockey, basketball, boxing, and a children’s sled dog race down Fourth Avenue.
• In addition to more than 20 official cultural and sporting activities, the Anchorage community hosts nearly 50 Rondy Round Town events, offering wacky winter fun for all ages.
• Hotels in Anchorage in the downtown area tend have poor guest ratings. We recommend you stay a little outside the downtown district for better options. The Aloft Hotel is 2km from the centre with a beautiful pool, spacious rooms and superb service.

Outhouse Races

• Saturday 27th February 2027 – Spectators gather on Fourth Avenue to watch teams race homemade, themed outhouses on skis through the heart of Downtown Anchorage.
• Outhouses compete for speed and creativity, with prizes for themes, costumes and some seriously inventive designs.
• The races are classic Alaska and one of Fur Rondy’s funniest traditions.

World Championship Sled Dog Races

• Friday 26th to Sunday 28th February 2027, from 12:00 daily – In the Open World Championship Sled Dog Races, dog teams and their mushers complete a high-speed 26-mile loop each day for three consecutive days, with the fastest combined time taking the championship. The race traditionally takes place during Fur Rondy’s opening weekend.
• The sled dog races start and finish on Fourth Avenue at D Street in Downtown Anchorage, heading through the city and onto Anchorage’s network of sled-dog trails before returning downtown.

Blanket Toss

• Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th February, Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th March 2027 – Fur Rondy’s Blanket Toss recreates an ancient Alaska Native whaling tradition. A walrus-hide blanket is used, and visitors can take a turn jumping or gripping the edge to launch participants high into the air.

The Snowshoe Softball Tournament

• Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th February 2027 – The Snowshoe Softball Tournament will get your adrenaline pumping.
• You might not be so quick on your feet in a pair of snowshoes, but the fun you’ll have will easily make up for it.
• Teams participating in the tournament dress up in their wackiest outfits, from snowsuits and bunny boots to tutus.
• Held at Kosinski Fields, 16th Avenue and Cordova Street. The official Fur Rondy page has not yet published the 2027 tournament schedule, so the dates follow its traditional opening-weekend format.

The Snow Sculpture Championship

• Saturday 20th February to Sunday 28th February 2027, 10:00–22:00 daily – Head down to Ship Creek to check out the Alaska State Snow Sculpture Championship and cast your vote for the People’s Choice Award.
• Watch artists of varying levels create impressive sculptures from 8ft x 8ft x 8ft blocks of compressed snow.
• Division 1 winners go on to the US Nationals to compete as Alaska’s team. From 10am to 10pm

The Fireworks Extravaganza

• Saturday 27th February 2027, 19:30 – One of the highlights of Fur Rondy is the Fireworks Extravaganza, traditionally held on the festival’s opening Saturday. The 2026 display began at 19:30.
• The event is held in Downtown Anchorage, facing Ship Creek and the Small Boat Harbor.
• Pyrotechnic artists fill the winter sky with one of Alaska’s largest fireworks displays.

Running of the Reindeer

• Saturday 6th March 2027, from 16:00 – Fan favourite, the Running of the Reindeer is a mad dash down the streets of Anchorage, with costumed runners attempting to outrun live reindeer. The event traditionally takes place on Fur Rondy’s final Saturday.
• Takes place on 4th Avenue between D and H Streets in Downtown Anchorage, with the start around G Street.

Where to stay in Anchorage?

Here are the Hotels we recommend that keep you close to all the action,

Sheraton Hotel & Spa,  Marriott Downtown,  Four Points by Sheraton,  Comfort Inn Ship Creek