Mat-Su Valley Blog

The 2023 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race officially gets started Sunday, March 5 in Willow, as mushers depart for Nome, 1,100 grueling miles away. This is officially called the Iditarod "Restart" because there is a ceremonial start in Anchorage on Saturday, March 4. That day does not count in the...

This weekend, spirits will be raised in Talkeetna in celebration of local art, culture, food and drink, as the first Raising Spirits event is hosted by the Denali Arts Council. The festival features an afternoon of delicious local cocktails and spirits from Denali Brewing Company, Denali Spirits,...

The 61st annual Willow State Winter Carnival kicks off this weekend, with a jam-packed schedule of events celebrating the season. Traditionally, the Willow State Winter Carnival spans two weekends, and that's the case again in 2023. Events run Feb. 17-19 and then again on Feb. 24-26. On Friday, the...

The world's longest snowmobile race officially kicks off next week in Big Lake, as the Iron Dog roars to a start. The Expedition Class begins on Wednesday, Feb. 15, while the Pro Class racers hit the trail starting at 10 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 17. Pro Class racers will line up at the starting chute...