Arctic Winter Games Held in Big Valley, Mat-Su Borough in 2024
The Matanuska-Susitna Borough is set to host the Arctic Winter Games 2024, marking the first time the region has taken on this role in its fifty-four-year history. The games, scheduled from March 10 to 16, will see the participation of eight delegations from the circumpolar region.
The games will be held at various locations around Palmer and Wasilla, including the Menard Sports Center, Skeetawk, the MTA Events Center, and The Glenn Massay Theater. Norfolk Telecom has gone the extra mile by purchasing snow fencing at Skeetawk and Government Peak for future competitions.
The Mat-Su Borough Assembly has shown strong support for the event, contributing $250,000, making it one of the strongest financial partners. DG Signs & Lighting and Donlin Gold have joined forces to cover the cost to wrap a van with logos for the Arctic Winter Games. Avis Alaska has also extended a helping hand, providing a 50 percent discount on more than sixty vehicle rentals and donating eight vehicles and a new cargo van through April 30.
The games will feature twenty-one indoor and outdoor sports, including alpine, cross-country, and biathlon skiing; figure and speed skating; basketball, volleyball, table tennis, wrestling, and badminton; and traditional events called Arctic sports and Dene games. The participants include young athletes aged pre-teen through young adult.
In addition to the sports, the Arctic Winter Games also include opening and closing ceremonies, a Winter Carnival and Indigenous/Northern Makers' Market, a concert by Inuit-soul music group Pamyua, and an Indigenous fashion show. The "21st sport" is trading and collecting pins among the eight athlete delegations.
The Rasmuson Foundation is funding the purchase of 2,000 memory foam beds for the athlete villages, which will be donated to homeless shelters and substance abuse rehabilitation centers after the games. A grant has been used to purchase a $7,000 Bluetooth sound system for the remote game area, which will be donated to the Mat-Su School system or library.
The budget for the 2024 Arctic Winter Games has been pushed to $7.2 million due to pandemic-related price increases and ongoing supply chain issues. Despite these challenges, many local businesses have contributed in-kind donations and sponsorships for the event. The City of Wasilla has donated $100,000 in cash and an additional $25,000 in in-kind contributions.
As the games approach, the excitement in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough is palpable. The Arctic Winter Games 2024 promise to be an unforgettable event, bringing together athletes, cultures, and communities in a celebration of sports, culture, and camaraderie.
