The biggest event of the year is the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race (tel. 907/376-5155; www.iditarod.com), a marathon of more than 1,000 miles that ends in Nome in mid-March. Sled-dog racers, world media, and international visitors descend on the town for a few days of madness, with lots of community events planned. The activities last most of the month; contact the Nome visitor center, or download the calendar from www.visitnomealaska.com.
One of the March Iditarod events, showcasing Nome's well-developed sense of humor, is the Bering Sea Ice Golf Classic, where six holes are set up on the sea ice. The pressure ridges constitute a bad lie. Various similarly silly events take place all year, including the Polar Bear Swim that happens around June 21 as part of the Midnight Sun Festival. The festival celebrates the summer solstice, when Nome gets more than 22 hours of direct sunlight. A parade, handmade raft race, folk festival, bank holdup, and other events headline the festival. Winners of the raft race get a honey bucket (known in some places as a chamber pot). For information on any event, contact the Nome Convention and Visitors Bureau (tel. 907/443-6555; www.visitnomealaska.com).
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
