July is drawing to a close, which means one day soon we’ll blink and it will be time dig out the warm coats and chunky boots again. Hold onto that summer feeling with some outdoor fun (plus an indoor steampunk cabaret).
Hairball: A “bombastic tribute” to arena rock — On Friday night the sounds of AC/DC, Bon Jovi, Queen, Motley Crue, Ozzy, Def Leppard, Queen, Poison and Alice Cooper will rumble over Spenard, courtesy of the arena rock tribute band Hairball. There will be food trucks and a beer garden at this all-ages show (underage folks must be accompanied by a legal guardian). Doors open at 6 p.m., show starts at 8 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $40 at Tixr.com; bring your own chair if you want to sit. (See Facebook for details.)
50/51 Fest: A birthday party for parks — Local bands including Blackwater Railroad Company, Hope Social Club, Sundog and The Jephries will help celebrate Alaska state parks at Arctic Valley this Friday and Saturday.
Food trucks will be onsite Friday through Sunday morning and local beers on tap. Bands start at 6 p.m. Friday and 12:25 p.m. Saturday. Camping is encouraged; reserve RV/trailer parking spots in advance. The road closes at 10 p.m. so if you plan on leaving for the night you’ll have to scram at 9:30 p.m. (Hang out long enough to catch Blackwater on Saturday, and you’re going to be camping out whether you intended to or not.)
Entrance is free. For a full schedule of music and lots more information, go to arcticvalley.org. Friday and Saturday, at Arctic Valley, Eagle River.
Bike the Moose Loop — Anyone who’s walked a trail in Anchorage has likely done a moose loop -- the one where you see the moose, back away slowly and return the way you came. But have you done The Moose Loop? That’s when you connect Chester Creek Trail, the Coastal Trail, Campbell Creek Trail and Ship Creek Trail in a 32-mile bike loop.
The route, Anchorage Park Foundation will say, looks kind of like the profile of a moose when viewed on a map. “You see the ears. You see the dewlap. You see the humped back,” they write. Whether you see all that is ... subjective. But traveling it is a great excuse to explore Anchorage’s top-notch trails.
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[Related: What you can learn about Anchorage by biking 32 miles on the new ‘Moose Loop’]
Tackle the Moose Loop on Saturday with a friendly group in a ride hosted by Bike Anchorage. Participants will start at Westchester Lagoon at 10 a.m. (arrive at least 30 minutes early. There will be a bike mechanic on hand to assist with last-minute minor mechanical issues).
Halfway through the ride there will be a stop with Wild Scoops ice cream, and at the end of the bike ride there will be live music and food available for purchase. $35 for members, $50 for non-members (includes a T-shirt and annual membership to Bike Anchorage). 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Starts at Westchester Lagoon. (bikeanchorage.org)
H3 in Town Square Park — Polynesian reggae band H3 will make Town Square sound like summer for Live after 5, a free weekly concert series. Beer garden provided by Humpy’s. 5:30-8 p.m. Thursday. (544 W. Fifth Ave. More info at anchoragedowntown.org)
Wenches & Wrenches Steampunk Cabaret — Sweet Cheeks is back with an original cabaret written by Rachel Ayers. Enjoy music, dancing, dining and beverages as you soar through the sky on a steampunk cruise. Tickets $30-$35, 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Sweet Cheeks will also present their weekly Sassy Saturdays burlesque performance at 11 p.m. Saturday (tickets $15-$25). Both shows are beneath The Broken Blender. Find tickets on Centertix. (535 W. Third)
— Victoria Barber