All that Light! It makes us a little loopy...

This solstice the sun hung over head for 21 hours and 50 minutes. I grew-up with a father who often said “You’re burning day light kid.” Well, let me tell you I have tried for over a decade now to burn up all the daylight in an Alaskan summer and it is an exhausting task – though I do give it my best effort.

Our family celebrated all weekend, kicking off the festivities with The Midnight Sun Fun Run. Fairbanks has plenty of serious runners who participate, but none of them take themselves too seriously, and so there is no shortage of them running the 10K in costume. They are not alone, runners of every age, shape, and gender will take to the roads which winds through neighborhoods to be cheered on by locals who hand out water to all takers. Many of whom are dressed as superheroes, giant fish, lumber jacks, Jedi, and flowers of every variety.

The next day the Midnight Sun Festival is the main event downtown. It is a street fair of the classic variety with booths, food, games, and rides. It begins at noon and goes on until midnight and always features music and dance performances free to the public.

That same evening the Midnight Sun Baseball Game, an event that has not required artificial lighting since the inaugural game in 1906, begins around 10pm. Just the same, by the time you have shook hands with the local ball players, had them sign your program, and convinced your family that now is in fact the perfect time to get ice cream, midnight is a distant memory.

You are thinking all that sunlight makes us a little loopy, huh? Well, you’re half right. There is something strangely appealing about being able to stay outside all night long doing things by the light of the sun. It is a bit like staying out past curfew – way past curfew! You know there will be consequences, but that just adds to thrill.