Holidays and Seasonal Events

Martha Crockroft (foreground) and Jeff Marks wrap gifts for the annual Adopt-A-Family Christmas Gift Program at the St. Vincent de Paul Juneau complex on Saturday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Getting an early start on helping Santa and people in need of good cheer

Hundreds of Southeast families get food, gifts as need, donations high in Juneau’s goodwill efforts.

 

Vox Borealis performs during the 2022 Holiday Cheer concert at Thunder Mountain High School. (Photo by Cameron Byrnes / Juneau Symphony)

Juneau Symphony mixing things up for fourth annual Holiday Cheer Concert

Familiar trio of groups will feature new players, songs and on-stage collaborations this weekend.

 

Julie and Richard Folta help themselves to some of the 21,350 cookies prepared for the annual Holiday Open House at the Governor’s Residence on Tuesday. Richard Folta said his first visit to an open house hosted by the governor occurred many years before Alaska became a state in 1959. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Tens of thousands of cookies, decades of memories at governor’s Holiday Open House

Richard Folta says much has changed — but lots of food hasn’t — since his first visit before statehood.

 

Marzena Whitmore (elf) and Dale Hudson (Santa), pose for a photo with Benny Orvin (partially obscured), 6, and his siblings Lilly, 4, and Remi, 2, taken by their mother Alex as their father Randy watches during Gallery Walk in downtown Juneau on Friday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Coming together as one giant community family at Gallery Walk

Thousands share an evening of entertainment in the outdoor chill, visiting shops and hot chocolate.

Marzena Whitmore (elf) and Dale Hudson (Santa), pose for a photo with Benny Orvin (partially obscured), 6, and his siblings Lilly, 4, and Remi, 2, taken by their mother Alex as their father Randy watches during Gallery Walk in downtown Juneau on Friday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire File Even the Grinch got into the holiday spirit at last year’s Gallery Walk on Friday, Dec. 2, 2022.

An abundance of traditional and new ways to capitalize on this year’s Gallery Walk

More than 50 events scheduled Friday afternoon and evening from downtown to Douglas.

Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire File Even the Grinch got into the holiday spirit at last year’s Gallery Walk on Friday, Dec. 2, 2022.
Ann Stepetin (left) and Marion Dau (center) talk to Pauline Duncan about her woven aprons and other items for sale at the Indigenous Artists & Vendors Holiday Market on Friday at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall. The market and nearby Juneau Public Market continue through Sunday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Getting a warm and fuzzy feeling on a rainy Black Friday at the public markets

Annual Juneau Public Market, Indigenous Artists And Vendors Holiday Market continue through Sunday.

Ann Stepetin (left) and Marion Dau (center) talk to Pauline Duncan about her woven aprons and other items for sale at the Indigenous Artists & Vendors Holiday Market on Friday at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall. The market and nearby Juneau Public Market continue through Sunday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Steve Sanders and Estrella Acosta examine their catch aboard the Marilyn at the Auke Nu Cove station as Alysha Reeves, the events dock chair, awaits. Acosta, 11, turned in 11 scholarship fish and entered a 10.1-pound salmon on Friday evening, the first day of the 77th Annual Golden North Salmon Derby. (Meredith Jordan / Juneau Empire)

Salmon Derby feels the weather, but keeps on fishing

77th annual charitable competition nets more fish than last year

Steve Sanders and Estrella Acosta examine their catch aboard the Marilyn at the Auke Nu Cove station as Alysha Reeves, the events dock chair, awaits. Acosta, 11, turned in 11 scholarship fish and entered a 10.1-pound salmon on Friday evening, the first day of the 77th Annual Golden North Salmon Derby. (Meredith Jordan / Juneau Empire)
A candle lighting by Juneau and other Alaska residents on the night of the winter solstice in 2020 was initiated by state officials as a show of solidarity during the COVID-19 pandemic, when people were both separated from other community members and experiencing the loss of loved ones. The winter solstice, by tradition a Wiccan/Pagan holiday, also is observed by other people and cultures both spiritual and secular worldwide. (Juneau Empire file photo)

The 12 days of not Christmas

December has lots religious and winter solstice holidays; here’s how some are celebrated locally.

A candle lighting by Juneau and other Alaska residents on the night of the winter solstice in 2020 was initiated by state officials as a show of solidarity during the COVID-19 pandemic, when people were both separated from other community members and experiencing the loss of loved ones. The winter solstice, by tradition a Wiccan/Pagan holiday, also is observed by other people and cultures both spiritual and secular worldwide. (Juneau Empire file photo)