We happened to be in Fairbanks days after the event started in mid-February! I even overheard a…read morelocal working at the airport recommend this event (although I saw it on Google Maps while trip planning and already had my heart set on going.) Tickets were $17 for a regular adult one day admission. You can get an orange wristband to come back later in the evening to see the sculptures lit up. It was amazing seeing art come to life from ice. We came in the evening so we wouldn't have to go back and forth. They had teams from all over the world including the Philippines! (They were sculpting the dragon!) The volunteers were very helpful. They explained the layout of the event and told us about the free sled rentals (ID for collateral). There were two ice slides (each has two lanes). It was super fun to go down the slides on the sleds! There were also other mini games sculpted from ice like mini golf, table tennis, corn hole, ring toss, etc. Are you cold? They had a warm up room where you can purchase snacks and merchandise. This is also where the sled rentals are. Since the event runs for an entire month I'd plan to go later to see more. We happened to go on day 5 of 6 of the multi block competition. If you have kids, like playing in the snow, or love physical mediums of art this might be for you!

Takes place at the Tanana Valley State Fairgrounds. Definitely need to check out during the season…read more(February and March)! We came here for the ice sculptures but didn't realize they also had games (ping pong, a mini golf course, etc), and sledding courses! So much fun! The ice sculptures are located in the forest which makes sense to preserve them as long as possible. We went around 6ish, but caught the tail end as the sun was setting and the colored lights were lighting up the sculptures. Saw ice sculptures from all over the world from places I would have never guessed had ice (Thailand and the Philippines???). Definitely worth checking out.

Waste of money! $15 a person to get through in 10 minutes. Then they have qr codes where the…read moreartists ask for donations as well. I went down the slide 3 times for something to do. Gift shop looks like a garage sale. Stay away from here. From the locals, I hear the sculptures at local festivals are way better.

Every part of me wants to say we had the best time here but it was such a lackluster experience…read more We paid $30 for two of us to enter the "museum" and boy do I regret it... After getting our tickets, we walked through the set of double doors behind the ticketing area. The environment is really old and run down. It's cold, of course, but everything smells musty and kind of reminded me of standing in a corner of the cold dairy section in Costco where there happens to be an entire pallet of expired milk (I know you wouldn't do that to me, Costco). There is a large open area where I assume you can sometimes watch artists create their sculptures. But beyond that is a tiny room where some of the ice sculptures live permanently. Most of them looked like they had been there for a while. And it was very underwhelming. The best part was the tiny ice slide that my husband insisted on going down multiple times in an attempt to get our "moneys-worth". What a shame. We were both excited to be here. If it weren't for the slide, the entire experience would've lasted less than 10 minutes. The young lady at the ticket counter did tell us, "it's mostly here to take selfies and some photos..." I guess she wasn't wrong. When we walked out she was asleep at the counter. I wish that were the case when we walked in. I would've known to turn around and leave. The gift shop didn't have much to offer either. The shelves were pretty bare besides a few of the basics. We had a lot of fun in Fairbanks - I'd recommend checking out your options - especially if you have young children who get bored easily.

Pre registration for this festival is a joke. I registered my wife for a new account in her name,…read moreusing her email address and paying for it with my credit card. The registration packet came with my name on the materials. Their website captures the credit card information and uses it to fill in the blanks on the participant information. This is the second time this has happened. Would not recommend until it is fixed permanently.

Omg I'm a life long Alaskan and I love stopping here…read more Alaska made festive items. Mini golf Reindeer petting mini zoo Hot dogs. Zillions of photo opportunities. Huge Santa. 365 Santa on staff for the kids. Sit in his lap and tell him how good you've been. Chocolates. Son globes Clothes Ornaments Nut crackers In the winter. The local ice sculpture competition ( outdoor) is on site. Sit in an ice train. Ice sleigh Go through the ice maze. We visit every winter. And every summer. We never tire of the new stuff. The best part. FYI; All the kids letters to the North Pole wind up here. Many are posted on the bulletin boards Locals answer as many as they can. Sweet sweet letters. I posted a few.

If you're looking for year-round Christmas magic, the Santa Claus House in North Pole delivers pure…read moreholiday charm. From the moment you arrive, the festive decorations and towering Santa statue set the tone for a joyful, family-friendly experience. Inside, the shop is packed with ornaments, personalized gifts, and Christmas keepsakes from around the world. Watching letters to Santa arrive and seeing them postmarked from North Pole adds a nostalgic touch that both kids and adults will love. Outside, you can even visit the resident reindeer, making the stop feel straight out of a holiday storybook. It's a cheerful, unique destination that captures the spirit of Christmas no matter the season -- a must-visit if you're traveling through Alaska or simply want to feel like a kid again.

I didn't expect to be visiting a farm while in Fairbanks, but I am extremely glad we took a tour of…read moreCalypso. They really make the most of their relatively small space with a greenhouse for herbs and tomatoes, open beds of heartier veggies, and pens where chickens, rabbits, sheep, and ducks are kept. The day I went, they were hosting a kid's group and teaching them how to make their own brick oven pizzas! Complete with grinding the wheat, making the dough, and picking the toppings to go on their pizza from the gardens. The staff is extremely friendly and willing to give tours on specific days, so call ahead. They also have a lot of great volunteer opportunities for those who want to get their hands dirty and be one with Mother Nature. I really recommend coming out to this place - and if you know anyone who runs kids' groups, let them know about the programs at Calypso!

From the owner: Calypso Farm is a non-profit, educational farm in Fairbanks, Alaska offering hands-on education…read moreprograms for all ages, and growing fresh food for the community.

Local artists are featured in this gallery. Fairly wide range of handmade items including pottery,…read morewoodwork, glasswork, paintings, drawings, jewelry, cards, and a variety of other media. Pricing is higher imo but the quality in workmanship is too. The clerk was friendly enough, not overly so but cordial. If you're looking for more local artwork vs commercial tourist pieces you might check this place out.

We bought a beautiful glass raven on our recent trip to Alaska from this shop. Unfortunately, it…read morebroke when shipped. The artist, Margaret Donat, went the extra mile and made us a new one free of charge. We just hung it on our wall and it looks beautiful. Thank you, Margaret, for your talent and for your great customer service!