The Mat-Su Valley is excited to host the 2024 Arctic Winter Games March 10-16, 2024. The Arctic Winter Games brings together approximately 2,000 young athletes from around the circumpolar world for a week of athletic competitions and cultural exchanges. Sports competitions will be taking place around the Palmer and Wasilla areas in virtually every venue possible. In addition to the athletes, more than 4,000 volunteers, media and spectators are expected to attend. Athletes come from Alaska, Northwest Territories, Yukon, Nunavut, Greenland, Nunavik, Northern Alberta and the Indigenous people of Norway, Sweden and Finland. The Games are held every two years, and 2024 is the first time they will be held in the Mat-Su Valley. The 2022 Arctic Winter Games were pushed to 2023 due to Covid, and were held in Wood-Buffalo, Alberta, Canada. The Games feature 21 sports, ranging from badminton and table tennis to team sports like basketball and ice hockey. Winter sports include snowboarding, skiing, and biathlon among others. Dene games are traditional Arctic games such as stick pull, snow snake, hand games, finger pull and pole push. The chickadee is the -42- | ExtendedWeekendGetaways ~ January 2024
animal ambassador for the 2024 games. One of the most unforgettable ways to participate in this international event is through volunteering. With a broad range of indoor and outdoor events at multiple venues across the Mat-Su Valley and neighboring communities, there is no shortage of ways you can volunteer and contribute to the fun and success of the Games. The Mat-Su 2024 Arctic Winter Games Host Society is overseeing the Games, and has launched the 2024 Games official web site at https://www. awg2024.org/. Check it out and discover how you can volunteer at this event. AWG 2024 will proudly welcome Pamyua to the stage of the Glenn Massey Theater on March 14. Pamyua is Alaska’s premier Inuit musical group, showcasing their culture through music and dance performance. Their shows include a unique lineup of Indigenous Alaskan and Danish performers. They celebrate and share Indigenous knowledge and history, using traditional melodies reinterpreted with contemporary vocalization and instrumentation. Prior to the concert, AWG will present an Indigenous Fashion Show. Featuring Indigenous designers of traditional and contemporary fashion, winter wear, jewelry and more, it will thrill locals and visitors alike.
