Summer is a busy and festive time in Western Alaska. As the days grow to nearly 24 hours of full sunlight, people across the region take full advantage of each and every day. We need to catch salmon, pick berries, and stockpile supplies before winter sets in again in a few short months.
But Alaskans play just as hard as we work. Around the summer solstice, Nome holds its annual Midnight Sun Festival. Events include a 5K race along the coast where runners compete to claim a gold nugget, a polar bear plunge in the Bering Sea, and even a mock bank robbery that harkens back to Nome’s Gold Rush days!
As always, those unable to participate in person tune in to the festivities by radio. People out at fish camps use radio airwaves to send birthday greetings and personal messages to loved ones back at home. Your support is the glue that keeps communities connected during the summer months. Thank you!
Image at top: Nomeites participate in the mock bank robbery on Front Street during the annual Midnight Sun Festival. Photo from the KNOM archives.
