At this point, I’m starting to suspect Anchorage accidentally subscribed to the unlimited-rain plan.
While the clouds have been putting in overtime, so have I. I’ve been hard at work on a refresh of mranchorage.com, complete with new offerings for Anchorage businesses—and opportunities that reach beyond our city limits. I’ll have more to announce soon, so keep an eye on your favorite social platform. You can find me @mranchorage everywhere!
In the meantime, this weekend gives us baseball, chamber music, international culture, neighborhood pride and even a chance to discover our inner burlesque performer. Here are five ways to get out of the house, because if we wait for three consecutive dry days, we may be here until September.
Night at the Ballpark: Anchorage Bucs vs. Glacier Pilots
Where: Mulcahy Stadium, 300 E. 16th Avenue
When: Friday, July 24; gates open at 5 p.m., game begins at 6 p.m.
Anchorage’s two hometown Alaska Baseball League teams are meeting at Mulcahy, which means we get the rare luxury of a crosstown rivalry without having to cross much town.
ABC Alaska’s Night at the Ballpark begins when the gates open at 5 p.m., followed by the Bucs and Glacier Pilots at 6. Grab some ballpark food, settle into the bleachers and enjoy summer baseball while summer is still willing to negotiate with us. If a little rain joins the lineup, remember: that’s just free atmospheric special effects.
More info: Anchorage Bucs schedule
Pizzicato Fest!
Where: A private Anchorage home; the address is supplied to ticket holders
When: Friday, July 24 at 7:30 p.m.
First, a vocabulary check: pizzicato is when string musicians pluck their instruments instead of using their bows. It is not, regrettably, a festival where everyone receives a tiny pizza.
This Anchorage Chamber Music Festival house concert features music by Sibelius, Britten and Bartók, plus the Alaska premiere of Frank Stemper’s String Quartet No. 2. The intimate home setting is part of the appeal: chamber music was made for spaces where you can see the musicians’ expressions and feel every plucked note.
It’s refined without being stuffy, unusual without being inaccessible, and an excellent reminder that Anchorage’s arts scene can turn an ordinary living room into a concert hall.
More info: Anchorage Chamber Music Festival
We Are Anchorage Multicultural Festival
Where: Chinook parking area beside the Delaney Park Strip, 225 E Street
When: Saturday, July 25, noon–8 p.m.
Anchorage is one of the most culturally diverse cities in America, and this festival puts that diversity onstage and on your plate.
After taking a pause in 2025, We Are Anchorage returns with live music, dancing, theatrical performances, cultural demonstrations, workshops, family activities and food representing traditions from around the world. It’s free, welcoming and built around the idea that Anchorage is strongest when we actually get to know our neighbors.
Come hungry, stay curious and give yourself enough time to explore. This is not the kind of festival where you should grab the first familiar thing you see and leave. Try something new, watch a performance you’ve never encountered and let Anchorage introduce itself properly.
Note: Some secondary listings show different ending times, so check the organizer’s page for any final schedule updates.
More info: Official festival Facebook page
Mountain View Street Fair
Where: William B. Lyons Park and the adjacent Mountain View Boys & Girls Club, 335 Price Street
When: Saturday, July 25, 1–5 p.m.
Mountain View is throwing a neighborhood party, and the rest of Anchorage is invited.
The annual street fair brings together music, food, local vendors, cultural activities and plenty of opportunities to meet the people and organizations that make Mountain View special. Activities will take place in William B. Lyons Park and inside the neighboring Boys & Girls Club.
This is exactly the kind of community event I love: free, family-friendly and rooted in a real Anchorage neighborhood. You can support small businesses, let the kids burn off some energy and experience one of the most internationally diverse corners of our city, all in one afternoon.
More info: Mountain View Street Fair details
Girdwood Family Market
Where: Girdwood Town Square, 148 Holmgren Place, Girdwood
When: Sunday, July 26, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
If Anchorage’s rain has you feeling a little cooped up, Sunday offers an excellent excuse to point the car south and let Turnagain Arm handle the scenery.
The Girdwood Family Market brings local artists, handmade goods, baked treats and food vendors together in Town Square. It’s smaller and more relaxed than the big summer festivals, which is part of its charm. You can browse without needing a detailed battle plan, grab something tasty and support local makers while enjoying an afternoon in Girdwood.
Make a day of it by adding lunch, a walk through town or a scenic chair ride at Alyeska. Just remember: “I’m only going to look” is something people say immediately before returning home with bread, artwork and a handcrafted object they didn’t know they needed.
More info: Visit Girdwood event page
Honorable Mention: The Wild Table
Where: BlueWater BaseCamp, Anchorage
When: Friday, July 24 at 6 p.m.—currently sold out
I only recently learned about The Wild Table: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and the concept is fantastic: an immersive, elaborately themed outdoor dining experience inspired by Shakespeare’s enchanted forest.
This weekend’s dinner appears to be sold out, so I’m not going to send you racing toward a table that no longer exists. Instead, consider this your notice to keep an eye out for future Wild Table experiences. Anchorage apparently has secret-feeling theatrical dinners now, and I would like to be informed before all the woodland creatures claim the reservations. I just thought it was really cool when I was researching this weekend and wanted to share…
More info: The Wild Table event listing
However you spend the weekend, I hope you find something that gets you out, introduces you to somebody new or reminds you why Anchorage remains such an interesting place to call home.
And speaking of interesting places: what should I investigate for an upcoming Anchorage History Check? I already have a running list, but I’m always collecting new mysteries, forgotten landmarks and unusual local stories. Send me your ideas so the history well doesn’t run dry… even if absolutely everything else around Anchorage is soaking wet.
Stay curious, stay connected and keep a rain jacket in the car.
— Mr Anchorage