Iditarod Days provide jubilant prelude to dog race

DAWN De BUSK/Frontiersman reporter

The Wasilla skies will light up, as though the air itself were filled with excitement about the upcoming Iditarod festivities, when the Iditarod Days fireworks display kicks off tonight at 7:30, half an hour earlier than usual for this annual Valley event.

Iditarod Days are off and running, beginning this evening with a fireworks show sponsored by the Greater Wasilla Chamber of Commerce, at Iditapark - also known as Wonderland - in Wasilla.

"We anticipate we'll have a fabulous fireworks display with a big turnout of people who come out to see it. I know I'll be there," said Dori McGhan, executive assistant at the Wasilla Chamber. "It's great. We finally get to see brilliant fireworks's colors instead of the black poofs of smoke [Alaskans] see during Fourth of July firework shows."

The night-time display will be set off by pyrotechnician Griz Smith at the grassy knoll of Iditapark and there will be plenty of room in the huge commons area and around the skateboard park for viewing the show - although some residents enjoy the show better from the warmth of their vehicles.

"[Chamber president] Cheryl Metiva and Griz have been working on preparing for the firework show for a while," McGhan said.

The total cost of the winter fireworks display is $3,000, with funding provided by First National Bank of Alaska, Best Western Lake Lucille Inn, KMBQ and the city of Wasilla, as well as the Greater Wasilla Chamber.

The Iditarod Days festivities are planned the week before the race so residents can focus on the dog-sled teams the first weekend of March. The 2005 Iditarod Days Festival and Trade Show will be held all weekend at Cottonwood Creek Mall.

Sgt. William "Seth" Beebe, with the Alaska Army National Guard, will provide a weapons demonstration accompanied by safety presentations, from 4-5:30 p.m. Saturday.

Cottonwood Creek Mall officials required the safety presentations be part of the weapon demonstration to promote responsible gun ownership, Beebe said.

Beebe will explain to festival-goers how to use the M16 rifle, the M240 Bravo machine gun and the M2 .50-caliber machine gun. Night-vision devices will also be displayed.

"I'll show the correct use of weapons, like not pointing a weapon at anybody," he said.

His demonstration will also include how to make sure the background is clear, ammunition safety, how to recognize if the bullet doesn't have enough powder in it - causing the bullet to get stuck in the barrel - and how to make sure trigger breeches are closed.

The guard's booth also will show off the SUSVEE and HUMVEE vehicles.

"The SUSVEE is made for tundra and snow. I've seen people owning them. They must buy them at surplus stores or something," Beebe said.

In relation to gun use, Tony Russ will provide a forum about backpack hunting in Alaska.

Another display, sponsored by North Star Speedway, will spotlight legend cars and baby grands.

A business in the mall, Talk of the Town, will be doing face painting for children and adults who wish to express their zany side. The free face painting will be conducted at the front of the mall from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. This is a six-year tradition for the beauty salon, according to owner Sally Pennington.

The Just Playin' Jaz Band, Josh Fryfogle and Tyrell Tomkins will provide entertainment throughout the weekend.

For those who love to collect Iditarod memorabilia, the "Winning the Iditarod" book will be signed by author G.B. Jones.

Children interested in pretending to be Iditarod racers can go for sleddog rides at Wasilla Multi-Use Sports Complex from noon - 3 p.m. Sunday. This opportunity is sponsored by Mush Knik-Network.