Fur Rendezvous
Winter Festival
The
Fur Rendezvous began as a winter sports tournament ( skiing, boxing,
hockey and basketball ). Some history books state that Fur Rondy began
in 1936, other sources place it beginning as late as 1939. The year in
which the idea was conceived is now accepted as the beginning date of
the festival: 1935. It was during that time that Vern Johnson, Clyde
Conover, Thomas Bevers and Dale Bowen came up with the idea of a party
that would encompass all of Anchorage.
The main focus of the carnival was
to bring people together, to show community support and celebrate the
beginning of the end of winter. In those days revelers purchased a $2
ticket that gained them admission to all of the activities. Because fur
trading was the second leading industry in Alaska at the time, fur
trading became an important part of the festival. It provided a golden
opportunity for trappers and buyers to meet in Anchorage to ply their
trade and cut out the middle-man. Trapping contests were held, and
prizes were awarded for the longest fox, the best fox and the finest
ermine pelts.
The festival continued to grow and
in 1956 Greater Anchorage, Inc. was formed to take over the management
and operation of the festival. GAI is governed by a board of directors
and has a full-time year round staff. Today Anchorage Fur Rendezvous is
one of the largest winter festivals in North America with estimates of
over 67% of the population participating in Rondy
During the festival, the streets
of downtown Anchorage become a winter spectacle for all to enjoy. There
are numerous activities and events such as Ice Sculpture displays, sled
dog weight pulling, Eskimo Blanket Toss, Snowshoe Softball, carnival
rides, Grand Prix, and the World Championship Sled Dog
Race
The World Championship Sled Dog
Race (not to be confused with the Iditarod ) consists of three 25-mile
heats over the course of three days), fireworks, a blanket toss, and
more.
Below, a dog shows its strength by
hauling a weight-filled sled a measured distance in the World
Championship Dog Weight Pulling Contest.
Collectible Pins
Fur Rondy has created a frenzy
among collectors. If you're a pin collector, you definitely know what
we're talking about. Fur Rondy Pins are extremely popular with
collectors, and remain very much in demand. Below we have listed as much
as know regarding the year of the events and what pins were released for
each one. If the date is in yellow, we have the pin here for sale. If
the pin is listed in white, it is informational only.