Winter Solstice Festival

12/17/2025

Fairbanks is celebrating the upcoming winter solstice with the Winter Solstice Festival.

12/17/2025

⛄What's a little (or a lot!) of snowfall amongst Fairbanksans? That won't stop us from heading downtown for the Winter Solstice Festival! ✨

We've got Day 2 of the Holiday Bazaar at the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center; plus the Winter Lights Walk in Griffin Park!
..and then there's the Storefront Decoration Contest with some of our favorite downtown shops: The Fudge Pot, Big Ray's, Lavelle's Taphouse, lichen., Arctic Travelers Gift Shop, River City Cafe, The Bowtree, 3M Art, Solstice Books Fairbanks, and Alaskan Mystic Wonders! 💛

But, no matter what you decide to do today: STAY SAFE and STAY WARM. We just hope you do both downtown! 😎

👉 For More Information: https://wintersolsticefestivalfairbanks.com/

12/17/2025

The Winter Solstice Festival is happening downtown all weeklong! We've got the Winter Lights Walk (https://bit.ly/3YrbS1B) and Downtown Storefront Decoration Contest (https://bit.ly/3KACKsV) this week, and then the festival's GRAND FINALE on Saturday -- ending with a spectacular fireworks show! ✨

Here's what we've got going on this Saturday (12/20):

🐕 Free Sled Dog Rides + Photos
(https://bit.ly/4rg9EPM)

📸 Reindeer + Elf Photos
(https://bit.ly/43RCQ5Q)

☕ Hot Chocolate w/ Rylieh
(https://bit.ly/49C24ZF)

🎆 Winter Solstice Fireworks
(https://bit.ly/4pia7Qp)

This Saturday (12/20) we also have an Ice Skating Party at the Starter Block (the former Polaris site) and Warm Up Stations + Winter Light Walk voting at Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center and The Fudge Pot!

Events like this take a community and Fairbanks is *that* community! We want to thank our festival sponsors, including: Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, Rylieh Bodyfelt, Realtor, TOTE Maritime, Spirit of Alaska Credit Union, Explore Fairbanks Alaska, Usibelli Coal Mine, Big Ray's, Kinross Alaska, Tech Wise Systems, North Haven Communities, ConocoPhillips, Fairbanks Economic Development Corporation, Alaska Laborers 942, Airport Equipment Rentals, Black Gold Transport, and Borealis Basecamp!

12/17/2025

What's a cold, wintry day without hot chocolate!? ☕️ Well, thankfully, the incomparable Rylieh Bodyfelt, Realtor has us all covered!

Come join us in Golden Heart Plaza and experience the grand finale of the Winter Solstice Festival this Saturday starting at 5:30PM. Warm up with a cozy drink and enjoy the Winter Lights Walk, the Storefront Decoration Contest, and the fireworks show! ✨

If you're attending the festival this Saturday then stopping by Rylieh's hot chocolate booth (https://bit.ly/49C24ZF) is absolutely essential!❄️

12/17/2025

⛸️🎶 Thank You to Usibelli Coal Mine! 🎶⛸️We’re so excited to bring the party to one of Downtown Fairbanks’ newest additions, the Starter Block ice skating rink on Lacey Street, during the Winter Solstice Festival Finale Day on Saturday, December 20!

A huge thank you to the sponsorof our Winter Solstice Festival Ice Skating Party, Usibelli Coal Mine! 💛❄️ Their support is helping us turn this brand-new rink into a festive gathering spot filled with music, movement, and great winter vibes.

🕓 Ice Skating Party: 4:00–7:45 PM
🎶 Music, skating, and good times
👯 Grab your skates, bring a friend, and make it a downtown night

Whether you’re a seasoned skater or just here for the vibes, this is the perfect way to celebrate the darkest day of the year - together.

Thank you, Usibelli Coal Mine, for helping us create new traditions and bring energy, joy, and community to downtown Fairbanks! ✨

12/15/2025

2025 Winter Solstice Festival Volunteers 2025 Winter Solstice Festival Volunteer Sign-Up Sheet We have a variety of shifts available for volunteering — these shifts are spread among different hours on Saturday, December 20 and involve various duties. Please scroll down for more information. Direct...

12/15/2025

HAPPENING NOW!! Bring you kids to pick out FREE books🎉❤️📚

Get ready for our 7th Annual Fairbanks Book Flood on December 20 as part of the Winter Solstice Festival!

Inspired by the Icelandic tradition of the Yule Book Flood, where books are the most popular Christmas gift, we're bringing this magical tradition to Fairbanks with FREE books for kids!

Here’s how it works:
- We’ve placed a HUGE order of $10,000 worth of books through Enchanted Forest Toys, carefully chosen to ensure every child in Fairbanks can see themselves in the stories they read.

- Join us at our pop-up tent at the Winter Solstice Festival in Golden Heart Plaza on Saturday, December 20, from 4pm until the crowd clears!

-Pick out your FREE hardcover book, visit the nearby reindeer, enjoy some cocoa and get ready for the amazing fireworks show!

A massive shoutout to our title sponsor, Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, for supporting us for the 5th year in a row! And also to Enchanted Forest Toys and Gifts for matching every single donation dollar-for-dollar! And of course, we couldn’t do this without our amazing monthly donors, who contribute to everything we do.

Come grab a book and celebrate the holiday season with some pure FBX magic!❤️

12/13/2025

The Holiday Bazaar at Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center is this Friday (11a-6p) and Saturday (10a-6p)! ⛄

Whether you're on the hunt for art, carvings, jewelry, knives, handbags, woodworking, photography, tasty treats...or something else entirely, we think the holiday bazaar will have exactly what you're looking for. (And maybe a few things you weren't expecting to find!) 🎁

This year's fabulous vendors include:

- Knezek.art
- Interior Rose Design
- Gold Rush Ice Cream
- Golden Elements
- Laughing Raven Jewlery
- Pingo Studio
- Plumbline Design
- Sew Modern
- Dinyeet Alaskan Arts
- Laura Lyn Photography
- Fairbanks Fire Girls Basketball
- Amy Johnson Photography
- Patty's Wool Pet
- Black Magic Woman Metalworks
- Write22
- Luna's Nocturnal Crafts
- North Star Freeze Drying
- Ribbons & Brims
- Menadelook Carvings
- The Tattooed Stylist

Whew! Well, we know where we'll be getting *our* shipping done. 😎 We can't wait to see you downtown this weekend! ✨

12/13/2025

We got just a littleeee bit of snow last night…☃️❄️ but don’t worry, the Morris Thompson Center is still open and the Winter Solstice Holiday Bazaar is in full swing today & tomorrow! Stop on by & shop local this holiday season🛍️✨

Find more events on our website: explorefairbanks.com/events

12/12/2025