Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival

What is the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival?

The Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival brings nearly 10,000 people to Fairbanks each July for a wide-range of performances, demonstrations, conversations and exhibitions. From classical and folk music to culinary arts, healing arts and creative writing workshops, there is something for almost everyone.

One of the festival highlights is borne from the unique Compose in the Wilderness program, where a group of experienced guides and naturalists take a group of composers deep into the backcountry for an immersive wilderness experience. The composers are then given the space to reflect on their experience and compose music inspired by their adventure – the music is premiered at the festival, performed by professional musicians.

Need to Know

Fairbanks experiences the Midnight Sun in the summer months with just a few hours of twilight before the sun rises around 4am. Despite the many hours of sunshine, the average temperature doesn’t get much above 21C/71F, so make sure to pack a few extra layers.

Did You Know?

Fairbanks is the gateway to Alaska’s arctic – just 198 miles south of the Arctic Circle and by far the largest city in the Alaskan interior with a population of just 31,500 people. If you’d like to cross the Artic Circle it is possible to drive from Fairbanks, it is a rewarding journey through some of north America’s most beautiful landscapes.