Happy Anniversary Alaska!!!

Today (January 3rd) was the 50th Anniversary of Alaska becoming a state! We have had events going on across the state for most of 2008 and they all culminated with a big "Statehood Day" today here in Anchorage. There were tons of events going on and Sherri bundled up and headed downtown to take some of them in! We are currently in one of the coldest streaks that we have had in years and it was about -10 when we were downtown but we still had a GREAT time!!

Here are some pictures!!

(This is the cauldron that was placed downtown, the flame was lit by leaders from all areas of Alaska and it burned throughout the celebrations)

(This is a huge 30 foot banner that is a reproduction of the newspaper headline here in Alaska the day that we finally became a state.)

(This is inside the main ballroom at the new convention center in downtown Anchorage. They had tons of music and entertainment going on throughout the day."

(This is a chopper built by O.C.C. (Orange County Choppers) to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Statehood. It will be featured on an episode of O.C.C. in March. If you don't know who O.C.C. is they are probably the most known custom motorcycle crew in the world.)


(Here are Sherri and I next to the ice skating rink in Town Square. Notice the frost on the outside of my hat)


(Every winter the city of Anchorage invites some of the best ice carvers from around the world to do pieces that are displayed throughout Town Square. They are amazing to see in person. Here is one of the carvings. They probably have 15 or so each year.)


(This is another of the carvings that depicts Anchorage after the 1964 Earthquake. A lot of the detail in this carving didn't get picked up by the camera, but it was pretty amazing.


(Another carving, this one depicts life in Alaska's oceans, they had it lit with blue lights and it was great.)

(The evening ended with a huge fireworks display shot off from 3 different locations downtown. This is a photo from our local newspaper because Sherri and I decided to watch and enjoy the fireworks together rather then try and get photos of them)

There were tens of thousands of people downtown and with the cold temps and everyone bundled up it just made for a really awesome event. Somehow celebrating Alaska's statehood seemed appropriate at -10 degrees.

This event reminded me how proud I am to be an "Alaskan".

Happy Anniversary Alaska, not a day goes by when something about you doesn't amaze me.