Mat-Su Valley Blog

The Last Frontier Pond Hockey Classic is back in Big Lake, with more than 150 hockey teams playing February 21-23 for Alaska's largest outdoor hockey event. On the ice near Burkeshore Marina in Big Lake, 20 outdoor rinks will host 10 divisions of four-on-four hockey. The event is hosted by the...

Talkeetna is the place to be from January 25 through February 2, as the fourth-annual Talkeetna Ice Festival includes a packed schedule of fun events. All the festivities are organized by the Denali Arts Council. An ice carving competition begins on Saturday, January 25 in the Village Park, for...

The inaugural Su Dog 300 is right around the corner, and organizers are busy marking the trail, preparing for the start line party and recruiting volunteers. The new race begins on January 25 at 2 p.m. at the Willow Community Center with a start line party. The race is a 300-mile Iditarod qualifier...

If you have always wanted to experience the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race from a musher's perspective, the Iditarider auction is the perfect thing for you, but you better act fast - the bidding ends in two weeks. The auction, sponsored by the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, allows people to bid on the...

This weekend, a uniquely Alaskan event takes in downtown Talkeetna, as the famous Wilderness Woman competition and Talkeetna Bachelor Society Auction take place. This is part of thecummunity's annual Talkeetna Winterfest. The festivities begin on Friday, Dec. 6, with a Christmas Tree decorating and...

There is simply no better way to get into the holiday spirit than a visit to Colony Christmas in downtown Palmer. People in that community come together to make it one of the most memorable weekends on the calendar. From a parade of lights and fireworks to outdoor events and Santa Claus, Colony...

This Thanksgiving, ditch Black Friday and opt for Small Business Saturday, a national movement to support small businesses by holiday shoppers. Not only can you get your holiday shopping done, you're helping support friends and neighbors. Small Business Saturday is part of a national "Shop Small"...

One of the Valley's top Christmas traditions is back for another year, as the Bright Up the Night light display will open at the Alaska State Fair on Thanksgiving. The Bright Up the Night event at the fair consists of more than 70 holiday light displays across the fairgrounds. It's the largest...

At this time of year, we often get asked, "Is Hatcher Pass open, even though there's not much snow in Wasilla?" The answer is YES! And to be honest, it's a great time to visit one of Alaska's most scenic places. Hatcher Pass remains open year-round, although with a few caveats. The road that leads...

Happy Alaska Day! October 18 marks the formal transfer of the Territory of Alaska from Russia to the United States. And it was a pretty good deal, too - just $7.2 million. The sale price was approximately 2 cents an acre and enlarged the United States by 586,000 square miles. Alaska was originally a...