I’m just about finished with my 2-week stint at The Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival, teaching classes and playing the piano. This was my 14th year at the festival and I had a great time as always.
Here are my top 10 reasons to visit Fairbanks during summer:
- The weather. ( OK, a little rainy this year, but usually dry, sunny, and about 70-85 degrees. A nice break from the New York City heat and humidity.)
- The moose-meat pizza. (Prepared for me only once, but delicious and unforgettable. Moose tastes like lean sirloin.)
- The wildflowers. (The best is fireweed, but it’s technically not a flower, hence the name.)
- The mountains. (Denali/Mt. McKinley is sometimes visible from Fairbanks.)
- Hot Licks Alaskan Blueberry ice cream. (But be careful when ordering at Hot Licks; they also have a special asparagus ice cream in honor of the state fair’s vegetable-of-the-year!)
- The local art, especially the landscape paintings and Yu’pik masks.
- The World Eskimo Olympics. (The high-kick event must be seen to be believed, not to mention the ear-pulling and seal-skinning contests!)
- The Pioneer Day parade, which always begins with the antique cars.
- The many artistic and cultural events all over town, including, of course, the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival.
- The wonderful, open, receptive and welcoming people of Alaska!
Here’s a video of me performing at the festival with a great drummer named Diamond Fuller:
Does anyone else have summer travel experiences they’d like to share? Put them in the comments below!
Get my free ebook: Left Hand Techniques for Jazz Piano
You’ll also get my weekly jazz newsletter with practice tips and inspiration