Willow Winter Carnival offers a variety of activities, events

The 63rd Annual Willow State Winter Carnival brought out the crowds over the sunny and (fairly) warm weekend. People from across the Valley and even a few out-of-staters gathered at the Willow Community Center for a weekend of friendly competition, camaraderie, entertainment and good food.

“The number of people getting out and talking and laughing and seeing people they haven’t seen for a while, that’s the core of the whole [event],” Chair of the Willow State Winter Carnival Committee Linda Oxley said. “It’s getting people out in the winter, having fun, enjoying each other and enjoying activities that are very winter specific.”

The event is run by a team of volunteers from members of the community. Proceeds from the event go towards the Willow Area Community Organization (WACO) general operating budget, including maintenance for the Willow Community Center for use by the community. Funds also go towards events that WACO hosts throughout the year.

Kick-off Dinner and Opening Night of the Carnival

A Silent Art Auction, Kick-off Dinner, the crowning of the Willow King and Queen and a fireworks show opened the weekend’s festivities.

Fifth-graders from Willow Elementary School waited and bussed tables during the dinner for tips to fund their class trip. Not only do they raise funds for their trip, the students also learn a lesson in civics. When asked the reason for being great hosts by teacher Carrie Smoldon, all of her students responded in unison, “To serve our community!”

Wendy and Allen Morgan were crowned this year’s Willow King and Queen. Willow royalty is nominated from within the community for their volunteer service. The Morgan’s have lived in Willow since 2003 and are involved with the Willow Lions Club, the elementary school and help with the Winter Carnival. Both are members of the United Methodist Church and volunteer at the food pantry and help with splitting wood.

“We like giving back to the community,” Wendy said.

Reds, greens and blues filled the night sky during a spectacular fireworks show hosted by Gorilla Fireworks to cap off Friday night. Fireworks shot high above Willow Lake and onlookers crowded the lakeshore to catch a glimpse.

Saturday’s Outdoor Events

The sun was welcoming for those that spent time outside on Saturday participating in the Homesteader Games, youth ice fishing competition, Geocache Alaska course and Sven Eriksson 25k Tour.

Homesteader Games

Competitors wielded swede and crosscut saws, chainsaws and axes for this year’s Homesteader Games. Spruce logs were tightly secured to supports and steam rose in clouds off of competitors as they put in the effort to cut through them. Icy conditions made competition difficult but teams held on to finish each and every cut.

Sharlene Stephens volunteered with her husband to host the games this year. She said she enjoys seeing people come out and have fun at the carnival each year.

“It’s good for people to get out in the winter and get fired up and do something outside and compete with your neighbors and friends,” Stephens said. “It’s just good fun.”

This year’s overall men’s and women’s champions were Larry Spicer and Jessica Hodges. Both scored highly in all events. Spicer said he hopes to see more competitors at next year’s event and more people cheering them on. Hodges reflected on where she did well and how she could improve for next year. Both walked off of the stage with multiple trophies in hand.

“It was a good opportunity to show off what you can do,” Hodges said.

Sven Eriksson 25k Tour

The Sven Erikson 25k Tour was one of the only self-propelled events to be held on Saturday. There were 19 competitors and two dogs in this year’s event. Skiers used metal edges on their skis to gain traction on the ice while several runners used cleats and fat tire bikers used studded tires for the trails.

Steve Charles has been in charge of the Sven Eriksson Tour for many years. He had been monitoring the trails all week prior to the carnival and received advice from other bikers on trail conditions. He said that tracks from other bikers could be seen the entire length of the route, which reassured him it was doable. He said that the event turned out better than he had expected.

“Everybody was smiling the whole way,” Charles said.

The race is named after Anchorage-based electrical engineer Sven Eriksson. Eriksson was paramount in the tour’s inception in the 1970s, according to the WACO website. He helped develop the course and advertised it within the Nordic skiing community. What originally started as a race became a tour, as most people take their time to enjoy navigating the trails. Fat Tire bikes and trail running were eventually included in the event as they rose in popularity.

“It’s a great event,” Charles said. “We’re just keeping it alive all these years.”

Charles said he has lived in Willow for over 40 years because of the outdoor recreation opportunities it affords. The tour navigates along a more “intimate” series of community trails through the woods and over hills. He said he enjoys the trail system and wishes to share it with others.

“I just want people out on the trails and enjoying the backcountry,” Charles said. “Willow trails are the greatest as far as I’m concerned.”

Saturday’s Indoor Events

A breakfast was hosted Saturday and Sunday morning at Willow Elementary School by the PTA to raise funds for their program.

Attendees crowded around indoors to enjoy the warmth. Vendors and booths attending the trade fair filled the community center, stretching into the hall and spilling out into the courtyard. Furs, flies, foods, fine arts and more were available for purchase.

Performances by the Calypso Steel Drums, Matanuska Beat and members of the Native Youth Olympics kept the crowd entertained and photo contest winners were announced. Rows of tables filled the area in front of the stage where people could sit and enjoy good food and good conversation.

The ice cream eating contest brought a healthy dose of competition across several age groups. Competitors sat with their hands behind their backs and waited for the countdown to begin. They dug in to devour the ice cream using only their mouths, with most of it ending up all over their faces.

Sunday’s Outdoor Events

Outdoor events on Sunday included the popular Outhouse Race, Poker Run and ax throw and wood chop portions of the Homesteader Games. Racers competed in the Radar Run and Blind Driver Snowmachine Races. The weather was just as sunny and temperatures were warmer than the previous day.

Outhouse Races

Three teams competed in this year’s Outhouse Races on an icy Willow Lake. The Willow Health Organization, Willow-Caswell Fire Department and Martin Creek Freighting slipped and slid their way along the course. Martin Creek Freighting took first place for their second year in a row and the Willow-Caswell Fire Department won People's Choice Award.

“It’s a blast and people love it. It’s one of the most favorite things at the carnival every year,” an original Martin Creek Freighting Outhouse Race member Justin Howington said.

Their goal every year is to beat the fire department, Howington said. The team included members Jody, Stanley, Ashley and Eric. They modified their outhouse this year, waxing the skis, making it slimmer and taking off extra weight. Howington said he hopes to see more teams compete at next year’s carnival.

“It’s fun,” Howington said. “It’s cool racing an outhouse.”

Garret Davidson is the Assistant Chief for the Willow-Caswell Fire Department and manages the Outhouse Races every year. He became involved several years ago when he built the outhouse for the fire department and said they’ve been competing with the same one ever since.

“The community loves it,” Davidson said. “It’s great for town spirit and keeps the Winter Carnival alive and thriving.”

The race pays homage to the homesteaders of the Willow area that lived in dry cabins and built and used outhouses. Competitors each year keep that spirit alive to avoid history from being flushed down the drain.

“That’s where they did their business,” Davidson joked. “That’s where all the world’s problems were solved.”

Poker Run

This year’s Poker Run consisted of 18 competitors that rode mostly four wheelers and side by sides due to a lack of snow on the trails. Trails for the race stretched far and wide across the Willow area.

Each person picked up a poker chip from each can along the route and exchanged them for an envelope that contained a single card. They could choose any envelope they wanted, in hopes of picking a good hand of five card stud. Winners split the pot, with first place receiving 50%, second place receiving 35% and third place receiving 15%.

Poker Run Organizer Barb Ensley said the event is a good way for people to have fun and learn about the trails in the area.

“Go enjoy the trails,” Ensley said. “If they’ve never done the trail system, it's a fun way to get to learn it and have a good time.”

Sunday’s Indoor Events

A single elimination cribbage tournament on Sunday afternoon had cards flying. Raffle tickets were drawn for a variety of prizes, ranging from artwork, to emergency preparedness kits, gift certificates to local businesses and destinations and a brand new four wheeler. Vendors and their booths witnessed an uptick in traffic on Sunday as even more people filed through the doors.

Performances included Craig Wall, the Alaska Polka Chips and a demonstration from members of The Barony of Selviergard from the Society of Creative Anachronism.

Sunday’s events were capped off with the Live Pie and Dessert Auction. Proceeds from the auction benefit a scholarship for local students. For many, this is the event they look forward to the most each year.

The Barony of Selviergard of the Society for Creative Anachronism

The Barony of Selviergard of the Society for Creative Anachronism hosted two tables at this year’s carnival displaying fighting equipment alongside Medieval arts and sciences. Members wore period clothing, some donning crowns and others in armor. The Society of Creative Anachronism (SCA) spans the time from the Fall of Rome to the death of Queen Elizabeth I.

Members take on and develop a persona of someone that could have existed in a time and place in this period of history. The SCA promotes and studies history, and embodies the ideals of honesty, honor and being true to their word.

One of the members embodies the persona, Colum Mahon O’Neil, or Baron Colum, a 10th Century Ulsterman. He interacted with members of the crowd demonstrating fighting techniques and sharing stories. Baron Colum explained that people are always interested in the past and in Medieval history. The local SCA is working to host more demonstrations at events like this.

“This is a museum,” Baron Colum said as he motioned over the tables. “We’re bringing it alive.”

Baron Colum encourages people that are interested to attend one of their upcoming events. Their retreats include dressing up in period attire, fighting in armor and camping out and interacting with each other without the presence of technology. Baron Colum explained that participating in the SCA provides a space for personal development and growth.

Other Willow State Winter Carnival and Other Willow News

With the recent announcement from the Iditarod Trail Committee that the race will still follow the Southern Route as planned, community members were optimistic that the race would still start in or near Willow. The general consensus is that the worst conditions are within a short distance of Willow and there are more adequate snow levels the closer the trail gets to Rainey Pass. There were concerns that moving the race from Willow could affect local businesses and visitor traffic to the area. But first and foremost is dog and musher safety, and everyone is crossing their fingers hoping for more snow in the next month.

The Willow State Winter Carnival will conclude with the Fire and Ice Family Dance on Friday Feb. 7 from 6-10 p.m. at the Willow Community Center.