Show goes on for Iditarod Days through next weekend

Even without the restart of the Iditarod, there are plenty of events that promise to bring loads of fun to the Valley in the next two weeks.

The Iditarod Days Festival kicked off Friday with fireworks, and the festivities continue through next weekend, as the home of the Iditarod parties despite not having the Iditarod this year.

There is still some time to enjoy the first weekend's events, as the trade show at the Cottonwood Creek Mall is open from noon to 5 p.m. today.

At the show, there will be live raptors from the Bird Treatment and Learning Center; a display of NASCAR cars, with their drivers on hand from North Star Speedway; Iron Dog racers and their snowmachines; and an equipment display from the Alaska Army National Guard, which includes a Humvee and a Susvee tracked amphibious vehicle.

The trade show will also feature a youth talent contest at 1 p.m. today.

If jazz is more to your liking, the Jazz Club is meeting at Motherlode Lodge, just north of Wasilla in Hatcher Pass.

The festival continues next weekend with an arts and craft show at the mall, which runs Friday through Sunday. On Saturday and Sunday, there is a quilt show and auction, also at the mall, and pony rides (weather permitting) in the parking lot.

There may not be snow but there is ice, and so Skatefest 2003 will go on as planned. The ice skating exhibition is taking place at Brett Memorial Ice Arena (call 376-9261 for details).

The final event of Iditarod Days takes place at Town Square Art Gallery on March 2, the day the restart was supposed to be held in Wasilla.

Noted Iditarod artist Jon Van Zyle will be at the art store meeting and greeting people, along with his wife, Jona.

A complete list of the Iditarod Day schedule can be found at the Wasilla Chamber of Commerce Web site, which is www.wasillachamber.org.