Think Alaska, and the great outdoors -- soaring peaks, mile-high glaciers, native totem poles and herds of moose -- likely comes to mind. But there's more to the Last Frontier than just its spectacular natural setting. Take, for instance, the culture on offer, including a wide range of popular music festivals that can tune up a visit to cities and towns across Alaska, from the isle-strewn panhandle to the isolated interior.
Consider incorporating tickets to one or two of the events into a client's vacation above the 50th Parallel North. The Alaska Travel Industry Association in Anchorage keeps track of the hows, whys and wherefores of the state's busy music fest scene.
Each May, the Juneau Jazz and Classics Festival takes over Alaska's capital for 10 days, featuring performances by jazz and classical musicians and blues artists. Affiliated events include dances, workshops for young musicians and a blues cruise. The 2010 edition of the festival runs May 21 to 30 at venues throughout Juneau, including auditoriums, schools, hotels, the University of Alaska Southeast campus, on boats and even in an office building's atrium.
This year's lineup for the festival, which usually attracts some 6,000 attendees, includes Jeff Antoniuk and the Jazz Update, Ingrid Jensen, the Fischer Duo, the Jasper String Quartet, Robert Dick, Ruthie Foster and the Royal Crown Revue. For more, visit www.jazzandclassics.org.
Panhandle on fire
Juneau is also home to the yearly Alaska Folk Festival, featuring bluegrass players, other folk music performers and one featured guest artist. Last year, that honor was held by De Temps Antan, a Quebec-based trio specializing in French-Canadian music. This year's 36th annual festival will be held April 5 to 11. Admission to the event is free. See http://akfolkfest.org.
The Bald Eagle Music Festival is held every summer in Haines, in conjunction with the Southeast Alaska State Fair. Headliners share original compositions in evening performances. This year's festival and fair run July 29 to Aug. 1. See http://seakfair.org.
The Sitka Summer Music Festival has featured classical musicians since 1972. The 2010 edition of the festival begins on June 4 with its opening concert and closes three weeks later with the June 25 Finale Concert. Special events are scheduled throughout, and the festival includes fundraisers, cruises, crab fests and more. For more information, see www.sitkamusicfestival.org.
On Kodiak Island, the Bear Country Music Festival is a three-day musical extravaganza set to run July 14 to 16. The 16-year-old festival is an annual showcase that includes a full spectrum of bluegrass, country, folk, soft rock and Alaskan music. More than 50 bands and musicians from Alaska are slated to perform.
On tap in Anchorage
The University of Alaska, Anchorage sponsors a Jazz Week each March. For the last 25 years, the UAA music department has invited jazz musicians from the Lower 48 to entertain and to hold clinics, passing along their musical expertise to young and aspiring artists. This year's performances run March 4 to 7.
Meanwhile, the Anchorage Folk Festival just wrapped up its Jan. 21 to 31 run at University of Alaska, Anchorage's Wendy Williamson Auditorium; mark clients' calendars for next year. Visit www.anchoragefolkfestival.org for updates.
Camping fans who love bluegrass as well as the great outdoors will want to head for the annual Talkeetna Bluegrass Festival, a three-day outdoor event held each August that includes not only music but craft and food booths. Many attendees camp out during the entire festival. Festival dates for 2010 were not available at press time.
Interior music
The Athabascan Old Time Fiddling Festival is held in Fairbanks every year in November. It's a weekend festival featuring up to 80 Native musicians from Alaska and Canada. Reels, jigs, two-steps and waltzes are performed. Dates for the 27th edition of the festival had not been set at press time.
The Fairbanks Folk Fest comprises a pair of annual events, the Winter and Summer Music Fests, promoting musicians, dancers, artists and storytellers of Interior Alaska. These free events take place on the campus of the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. The 24th winter festival is slated for Feb. 13, and the summer fest on the weekend closest to the summer solstice in mid-to-late June.
The Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival is two weeks of study-performance on the University of Alaska, Fairbanks campus. Some 1,000 people participate with 100 guest artists in 125 workshops in music and other arts, with 45 performances. This year's dates are July 18 to Aug. 1. See www.fsaf.org.
For updates on Alaskan music festival dates, visit www.travelalaska.com.