Two landmark summer events celebrating their 25th anniversaries in 2017 are already sell-outs.
Some 1,900 tickets to the afternoon beer-tasting at the Great Alaska Craft Beer and Homebrew Festival were sold out by Saturday, March 18, said Jessica Edwards, executive director for the Southeast Alaska State Fair.
A gourmet dinner held the evening before the tasting sold out Feb. 13 and a “connoisseur’s tasting” an hour before the main event sold out Feb. 17. Ticket sales started Feb. 1.
The event draws visitors from Southeast, the Yukon Territory and even Anchorage.
The brewfest will be held May 26-27 and speakers who have been involved with the festival since its inception will speak during Friday night’s gourmet dinner.
Roughly 20 vendors serving more than 130 craft beers will serve thirsty festival-goers Saturday and for the first time, a “people’s choice” award will go to the day’s most popular brew.
Chip Lende, board member for the 155-mile Kluane-Chilkat International Bike Relay, said 1,200 registration slots went up for sale on March 15 and 1,156 riders registered by 8 p.m.
“By the next day it was all plugged,” Lende said. Last year’s relay filled up in eight days.
Bike shirts and cycling jerseys are being made to celebrate the 25th anniversary, along with “better bling for volunteers,” Lende said.
A documentary will also be filmed about this year’s race, set for June 17.
Lende said the relay attracts riders from across the country and as far away as Europe.
The ride was launched in 1992 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Alaska Highway.