Where
Utqiagvik
When
June (usually the third week)
Description
Get a real taste of native Alaska. This festival—called Nalukataq—is a tradition of the Inupiat of northern Alaska, held after the spring whale-hunting season to give the locals a chance to say thanks for a successful hunting season. There are traditional songs and dances, including a blanket toss, where a dancer is tossed high in the air from a blanket made of seal skins. You’ll find the most events in Utqiagvik, though other towns in the region also host their own celebrations.
They tend to have one or two festival dates scheduled during any given summer—planned around a whale hunt—but the first part of the festival is usually around solstice, or June 24-25. To pin down the dates in any year, we recommend calling the Top of the World Hotel.
