I was ready to make the low hanging “Anchorage is finally thawing out and everyone is finally breaking out the patio furniture” joke, and then the Williwaw news hit.
If you missed it: Williwaw Social announced it’s closing after nearly a decade downtown. I’m honestly so disappointed that I don’t really know what to say yet. That place has been a rooftop hangout, concert stop, dance floor, private-event spot, awkward first-date location, “where did my friends go?” maze, and general downtown chaos container for a lot of Anchorage memories. KTUU reported that the venue did not state a reason for the closure, and that Showdown Alaska said some affected events will be rescheduled elsewhere.
So this weekend’s list comes with a little extra reminder: go enjoy the local places while they’re here. Buy the ticket. Show up for the weird little community thing. Take the friend. Tip the servers. Wander the garden. Laugh at the play. Finish the craft project that’s been silently judging you from the corner since 2021.
Anchorage weekends are built out of places like this. Let’s not take them for granted.
Finish the Unfinished
Where: Alaska Native Heritage Center - Mabel Pike Art Room, 8800 Heritage Center Drive
When: Friday, May 22, 5-8 PM
More info: Alaska Native Heritage Center event listing
This one is for every person in Anchorage with a half-finished beading project, sewing idea, repair pile, mystery craft bag, or “I’m totally going to finish that someday” situation currently living in a closet rent-free.
Finish the Unfinished is a free community craft night at the Alaska Native Heritage Center. The event is held in the Mabel Pike Art Room and includes access to sewing machines and basic crafting supplies such as beads, scrap fur, and scrap fabric. Limited snacks are provided, and folks are welcome to bring something to share.
Bring the project. Bring the patience. Bring the friend who claims they’re “not crafty” and then somehow makes something beautiful while you’re still untangling thread.
Live Jazz with Tipsy Soul Trio
Where: Castle on O’Malley, 1520 O’Malley Road
When: Friday, May 22, 7-10 PM
More info: AK Concerts listing
Sometimes the weekend calls for neon lights and big crowds. Sometimes it calls for sitting down, ordering something good, and letting live jazz make you feel just classy enough to ignore the pile of laundry waiting at home.
Tipsy Soul Trio is playing Castle on O’Malley Friday night, giving South Anchorage a smooth, lower-key live music option that does not require shouting over a subwoofer or pretending you know what someone means by “one more quick stop.” AK Concerts lists the show from 7 to 10 PM.
Good for a date night, friend night, or “I deserve live music and a chair” night.
3 Rings Circus
Where: Sullivan Arena, 1600 Gambell Street
When: Saturday, May 23 at noon, 3:30 PM, and 7:30 PM; Sunday, May 24 at 1 PM
More info: 3 Rings Circus official Anchorage schedule
The circus is coming to the Sully, and yes, you can absolutely pretend you’re only going because of the kids.
The official 3 Rings Circus schedule lists three Anchorage shows on Saturday and one on Sunday at Sullivan Arena. The show is described as a modern circus experience across three stages, with ringmasters, aerial performers, motorcycle high-wire, acrobats, clowns, and the Valencia Brothers’ “Dueling Wheels of Death.”
This is probably the biggest family friendly spectacle of the weekend, unless your family is scared of clowns, heights, motorcycles, arena snacks, or all of the above. In which case: welcome to parenting in Anchorage.
Alaska Public Gardens Day
Where: Alaska Botanical Garden, 4601 Campbell Airstrip Road
When: Saturday, May 23, 10 AM-7 PM
More info: Alaska Botanical Garden event listing
If your yard currently looks like a moose hosted a networking event in it, Alaska Public Gardens Day might be the inspiration you need.
The Alaska Botanical Garden is offering admission by donation all day Saturday, May 23. Visitors can pay what they can or enjoy a free visit, with complimentary guided tours along the Verna Pratt Wildflower Trail from 10 AM to 2 PM. The Alaska Rock Garden Society will also be onsite selling hardy plants suited for our climate.
It’s outdoorsy, peaceful, local, and still close enough to town that you can admire plants for a while and then reward yourself with lunch for being “basically a wilderness person.”
POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive
Where: Cyrano’s Theatre Building, 3800 Debarr Road
When: Saturday, May 23, 7 PM; Sunday, May 24, 3 PM
More info: CenterTix listing
Cyrano’s is staging a political farce with one of the best full titles of the year: POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive.
CenterTix lists the production at Cyrano’s Theatre Building, with a two-hour runtime, tickets starting at $35, and a 14+ age listing. The show is described as a comedy about the women in charge of the man in charge of the free world, with mature content and strong language noted.
In other words: fast dialogue, stage chaos, political panic, and a title you should absolutely copy/paste instead of trying to type from memory.
Honorable Mention: AWCC Birthday Party
Where: Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Mile 79 Seward Highway, Portage
When: Saturday, May 23, 11 AM–3 PM
More info: Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center event listing
A little outside Anchorage proper, but worth the drive if you’re heading south: the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is celebrating its 33rd birthday on Saturday.
The celebration includes wildlife crafts and activities, a porcupine encounter, a black bear naturalist chat, and birthday enrichment for resident animals.
Basically, it’s a birthday party where the guest list includes bears, bison, porcupines, and probably several people making the exact same “party animal” joke. I respect it.
Let’s go Anchorage
So there you go, Anchorage: this weekend you can finish a craft, hear some jazz, take the kids to the circus, wander through the garden, laugh at political dysfunction from the safety of a theater seat, or road trip south to wish a porcupine a happy birthday.
And yeah, the Williwaw news stings. Downtown has taken a few weird punches over the years, and losing another gathering space is not nothing. I don’t have a perfect bow to tie on that one. I’m just disappointed.
But maybe that’s the reminder for the weekend: the places that make Anchorage feel like Anchorage only stay alive when we actually show up.
Check the event pages before you go, bring layers, tip generously, and go make a little memory somewhere local while you still can.