This week, Suzanna Caldwell is submerged in Kulluk coverage and Ben Anderson is still wandering listlessly around some tropical island paradise somewhere, so Katie Medred has turned to her esteemed colleague and partner in nightlife shenanigans, Laurel Andrews, for help.
Katie: Oh, Laurel, I'm glad you're here. Lots of things are happening, and I'm going to need your help, and possibly a drink, to get through them all.
The possibilities are vast and varied. It's Memorial Day weekend after all. But I'll start in a place we can both agree on and understand: The 1920s.
On Friday in downtown Anchorage, Sullivan's Steakhouse is hosting an era-themed Great Gatsby-inspired soiree. Live music, dancing and specialty cocktails like the Daisitini and Gatsby Collins will help recapture the spirit of the Roaring Twenties. Sullivan's Gatsby Gala kicks off at 4 p.m., there's no cover charge but interested parties are asked to RSVP via the Interwebs. Come dressed in an awesome era-friendly costume to win prizes, and praise, from other 1920s enthusiasts.
Switching gears a little from the Jazz Age to the Age of Indie, the "horror folk" outfit Terrible Buttons is on fire up here in Alaska. The Spokane, Wash., septet is slated to play the last leg of its Shiny Pines II tour in Southcentral this weekend. The band will visit at one of my favorite watering holes Friday night, Talkeetna's Fairview Inn, before heading back to Anchorage for a final venue show at the Tap Root Public House with Sophia Street and DJ Clint Samples on Saturday.
Don't miss the chance to see one of the customarily small number of touring Outside bands to reach our fair state this summer.
Laurel? Whatcha got?
Laurel: Well, Katie, with summer is finally, hopefully, maybe, making its 2013 debut, the landscape will soon be teeming with green leaves and new growth – a.k.a. free food. The Alaska Plants as Food & Medicine Symposium in Girdwood, running Friday through Memorial Day, is four days of workshops, plant identification walks and storytelling. It's not cheap - $450 for a regular adult – but if you've got the extra cash, it's an awesome opportunity for all would-be foragers out there. I don't know about you, Katie, but I plan on eating dandelion leaves and rose hips all summer. You're still coming by for dinner tonight, yeah?
Summertime brings greenery and of course, Alaskans' favorite summer activity: FESTIVALS! This Memorial Day weekend several are underway -- from Friday until Monday -- across the state.
Want beer? Of course you do. The Great Alaska Craft Beer and Homebrew Festival in Haines has you covered.
Want music? Duh. The Mendeltna Creek Music Festival, at Mile 153 on the Glenn Highway, or the Trapper Creek Bluegrass Festival in Trapper Creek is where it's at.
And then there's the Kodiak Crab Festival in Kodiak, a weekend of music, games, races, rides and a Shrimp Parade! Mmm, shrimp…
Katie: Dandelion leaves and rose hips, oh yum!
Please.
Feed me.
I'm starving!
Festivals are a spectacular thing during the summer months in Alaska and your list, Ms. Andrews, is quite thorough, so I won't tamper with it, but I will add that Alaska singer-songwriter Marian Call is on a mini-tour of Alaska. She'll be at the Kodiak Crab Festival in Kodiak to play a show at the Best Western Kodiak Inn, Friday at 8 p.m. From there, Call will head to Kenai where she'll play at Veronica's Cafe at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, before finishing out the weekend in Talkeetna, at the Talkeetna Roadhouse, Sunday from 5 to 7 p.m.
Meanwhile, in Homer, Minnesota-based, Alaska-raised choreographer Emily Johnson will present her multi-disciplinary work "Niicugni."
Niicugni (pronounced: nee-CHOOG-nee) is a Yup'ik word used as a directive to listen or pay attention to. The show has been described as a performance-slash-installation-slash-concert-slash-dance set amid illuminated fishskin lanterns. It's the second in a running trilogy, the first of which, "The Thank-You Bar," won a Bessie, a prestigious dance award, in 2012.
Johnson's work has stretched as far as New York City. She's been highlighted by the New York Times and other esteemed arts and entertainment watchdogs from around the country.
"Niicugni" will be at the Pier One Theatre on Saturday and Sunday. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. both nights.
Laurel: You know, Katie, although there's lots of art events to choose from this weekend, maybe some folks feel like staying in and working on art projects of their own.
Time is ticking to submit photography to Alaska Photographic Center's Rarified Light, the state's largest juried photography exhibition, which, if you recall, Alaska Dispatch's own Loren Holmes was a finalist in last year. Entries are due June 4, so get snapping! (No pressure…)
Looking over our list thus far, I can't help but notice it seems we've neglected our Interior peeps. Not cool, Katie, not cool at all.
The Tanana Valley Kennel Club Dog Show will pop off at the Tanana Valley Fair Grounds in Fairbanks on Saturday and Sunday. Prancing begins at 8 a.m. both days. Dogs retire for the evening at 5 p.m. Tickets are $5 per person or $10 for a family. This should be interesting, especially if you like dogs, showing them off or just weird competitive showmanship.
Katie: Wow, a dog show! Now, I can't help but wonder how the Fairbanksan version of the movie "Best in Show" would look ... I bet it would be delightful. Think of all those prim and proper un-Fairbanksan fluffies sporting camo bow ties and ridiculous hair styles! It's so absurd, I think it just might work ... and work well.
Sigh. The imagination is a beautiful thing, but, Laurel, it looks like it's that time again, time to cap our list for This Weekend. It's been real, thanks for joining me.
Note to readers: I have no idea who will be with me for the next installment of This Weekend. Perhaps, I can persuade a certain infamous local reporter into talking statewide summer foot and road races and why cyclists should carry weapons. Only time will tell, so stay tuned.
Contact Katie Medred at katie(at)alaskadispatch.com and Laurel Andrews at laurel(at)alaskadispatch.com