In September, 2014...
Denali Park businesses and even Denali National Park itself, shut down for the season.
But Just A Hundred Miles Away...
Down the Parks Highway, Talkeetna was roaring with activity.
Travelers roamed Talkeetna's streets -- from overseas, Alaska,
and the continental U.S. That very same weekend.
Talkeetna & The Independent Traveler
LIke Denali, part of Talkeetna's strength is its relatively small physical area.
It also has a special status -- not as a famous National Park, but as "Real Alaska" with
an historic district that's full of old log cabins and railroad buildings.
Talkeetna people pull together and coordinate "events" that are intriguing to both locals
and outsiders.
These include …Friday concerts, workshops in Alaska skills, bazaars,
National Park activities, theater, outdoor markets, and lessons in skills such as running on trails.
If a Talkeetna group or person can think up something, they'll jump in and do it,
including a yearly "Moose On Parade" display where local people decorate wooden
moose and place them all over Talkeetna. (And don't forget the town's Bachelor's
Ball, and other outrageous and popular events.)
There's a never-ending list of things to do in this tiny town, including celebrating
the end of the season, in "Take Back The Town" celebrations. This fall, Talkeetna will
Take Back The Town at a family-style masquerade ball, on October 4th, a full month
after Labor Day.
2015 is Talkeetna's 100th Anniversary. It's Anchorage's centennial, too.
Talkeetna is already planning ahead. and the way it looks, this little town of around 1,000 people
is going to give the Big City of Anchorage a run for their money as they both turn one hundred years old.